Sitting of Wednesday, 21 January 2026

Order of business

Speeches load per item. Summaries shown here are AI-generated and labelled; verbatim text is on each speech page.

1. 1 Opening Opening and Speaker's Certificate 5 speeches ▸
2. 2 Procedural Oral Answers to Questions - Procedural matter 1 speeches ▸
3. 3 Procedural Point of Order - Question allocation fairness (Standing Order 32) 11 speeches ▾
   • The Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri SJB

     AI summary Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri rose to a point of order. No substantive issue or proposal was stated in the provided excerpt.

     Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
   • Mr. Speaker procedural
     Full speech →
   • The Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri SJB

     AI summary Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri raised a matter under Standing Order 32, alleging that questions he submits according to procedure are not being included in the Order Paper. He said only deferred or second-round questions appear, while new, time-sensitive questions submitted by him were absent in the current and previous months. He asked the Leader of the House, Chief Government Whip, and the Speaker to personally look into the issue.

     Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
   • Mr. Speaker procedural
     Full speech →
   • The Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri SJB

     AI summary Chaminda Wijesiri criticized repeated assurances that matters would be checked, stating that such inquiries had not produced fair outcomes. He appealed to the Speaker for fairness in the handling of the issue.

     Corruption & Governance Reform Full speech →
   • Mr. Speaker procedural
     Full speech →
   • The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake - Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development and the Leader of the House of Parliament JJB

     AI summary The Minister stated that the issue had been raised at the Parliamentary Business Committee and that the Secretariat had submitted a report on it. He said both Government and Opposition leaders had sought time to study the report, which is with the Chief Opposition Whip, and proposed that it be discussed at a future Business Committee meeting before a decision is made.

     Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
   • Mr. Speaker procedural
     Full speech →
   • The Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka SJB

     AI summary Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka requested time to note that the Parliamentary Business Committee had asked for the report to be submitted to the Backbenchers’ Committee as well, so that its recommendations could be obtained.

     Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
   • The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB

     AI summary A decision has been taken to refer the matter for further consideration, with recommendations to be obtained. The Parliamentary Business Committee will finalize the relevant guidelines based on those recommendations.

     Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
   • Mr. Speaker procedural
     Full speech →
4. 4 Oral question Oral Question No. 2 (812/2025) - Prison overcrowding 7 speeches ▸
5. 5 Oral question Oral Question No. 3 (1009/2025) - Government reparations and compensation 7 speeches ▸
6. 6 Oral question Oral Question No. 6 (1222/2025) - Aswesuma welfare benefits 10 speeches ▸
7. 7 Procedural Procedural matters - Supplementary questions and Standing Orders dispute 67 speeches ▸
8. 8 Procedural Second Round of Oral Questions and Standing Order clarification 36 speeches ▸
9. 9 Procedural Motion to amend sitting hours and Select Committee appointment 4 speeches ▸
10. 10 Adjournment Adjournment Debate: Post-Cyclone "Ditwah" Situation (Part 1) 23 speeches ▸
11. 11 Adjournment Adjournment Debate: Post-Cyclone "Ditwah" Situation (Part 2) 57 speeches ▸