Sitting of Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 23308 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
Order of business
Speeches load per item. Summaries shown here are AI-generated and labelled; verbatim text is on each speech page.
- 1 Opening Opening and Papers 5 speeches
- 2 Procedural Procedural: Select Committee and Conflict of Interest Matter 7 speeches
- 3 Petitions Petitions 2 speeches
- 4 Oral question Oral Question: Hazards Faced by Plantation Workers: Preventive Measures (1466/2025) 18 speeches
- 5 Oral question Oral Questions: Stood Down (Q.4, Q.5) 4 speeches
- 6 Oral question Oral Question: LRC Lands in Kalutara District: Details (1664/2025) 6 speeches
- 7 Oral question Oral Question: Amendment of Laws Pertaining to Explosives (1745/2025) 6 speeches
- 8 Oral question Oral Question: Labour Complaint Resolution and Child Labour (1748/2025) 6 speeches
- 9 Oral question Oral Question: Fishery Buildings and Shore Seine Fishing in Pottuvil (1750/2025) 6 speeches
- 10 Oral question Oral Question: Gampaha Sanasa Development Bank Complaints (1751/2025) 5 speeches
- 11 Procedural Procedural: Question Under Standing Order 27(2) - Gross Official Reserves 4 speeches
- 12 Procedural Procedural: Ministry Statement and Standing Order Clarification 11 speeches
- 13 Procedural Procedural: Privilege Matters and Bill Introduction 7 speeches
- 14 Papers Papers: Mahawilachchiya Education Centre Bill (First Reading) 2 speeches
- 15 Debate Debate: Special Commodity Levy Act and Related Orders (Main Business) 33 speeches
- 16 Debate Debate: Special Commodity Levy Act, Customs Ordinance Resolution, and Motor Traffic Act Orders (Continuation) 85 speeches
- 17 Procedural Procedural: Motion for Adjournment and Chair Change 3 speeches
- 18 Adjournment Adjournment: State Free from Corruption, Bribery and Fraud 6 speeches
- 19 Oral question Oral Questions: Crime Statistics, Temple Jewellery, Police Releases, and Infrastructure (1745/2026 - 1851/2026) 12 speeches
- The Hon. Ajith P. Perera SJB
AI summary Ajith P. Perera asked the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs to provide annual figures for reported homicides and rape cases in Sri Lanka from 1970 to 2025. He requested the data be broken down separately by year, and asked for reasons if the information could not be supplied.
- The Hon. Ananda Wijepala - Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs JJB
AI summary The Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs stated that the requested information for parts (a)(i) and (ii) had been provided to the House in a year-wise table, noting that records for 1972 were unavailable due to the turbulent situation in the country at the time. He added that part (b) did not arise.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Ajith P. Perera SJB
AI summary Ajith P. Perera asked the Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs to state the total weight of jewellery and gold items held by the Kataragama Dewalaya. He also sought clarification on whether any proposal exists to sell part or all of these items and transfer the proceeds to the Government, and, if so, what security arrangements and sale procedure, including any auction method, would be followed.
Religion & Culture Full speech → - The Hon. (Dr.) Hiniduma Sunil Senevi - Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs JJB
AI summary Devotees have offered 3,201 grams of gold jewellery and other gold items to the Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Dewalaya, including items found in tribute boxes during cash removal. The Basnayake Nilame has requested approval for action regarding these items, but no approval or decision to auction them has been made. Part of the gold is held in Safe No. 55 at the Bank of Ceylon, Kataragama Branch, while the remainder is kept in the Dewalaya office safe.
Religion & Culture Full speech → - The Hon. Ajith P. Perera SJB
AI summary Ajith P. Perera asked the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs to provide annual figures for police officers released to CIABOC from 2015 to 2025. He also sought details on CIABOC’s requested police personnel for 2026, how many have been released so far, whether the Ministry is aware of any shortage of investigation officers, and what measures are being taken to address it.
- The Hon. Ananda Wijepala - Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs JJB
AI summary The Minister provided a tabulated reply on the number of police ranks released to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption from 2015 to 2025, noting that 246 officers were released in 2025. He stated that, as of January 2026, CIABOC had requested five officers in one instance and three officers in another, including a Police Inspector and a Woman Sub-Inspector, and that the numbers released to date had been provided. Other sub-questions were deemed not applicable or not arising.
Law & Order Full speech → - The Hon. Ajith P. Perera SJB
AI summary Ajith P. Perera asked the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs for annual data from 2020 to 2025 on reported shootings in Sri Lanka, including deaths and injuries, and for details on police measures taken to control such incidents and their progress. He also raised concerns about the condition of the Bandaragama Police Station, asking whether a modern building, development plan, cost estimate, and study on constructing official quarters within the premises have been prepared or will be undertaken.
- The Hon. Ananda Wijepala - Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs JJB
AI summary The Minister provided annual figures on shootings from 2020 to 2025, noting an increase to 140 incidents in 2025, with 65 deaths and 68 injuries that year. He said recent shootings were linked to organized crime, drug trafficking, illegal firearms, personal disputes, and overseas criminal networks, and outlined police responses including joint operations, checkpoints, intelligence-led investigations, firearm seizures, community reporting mechanisms, and rapid-response motorcycle units. He also referred to institutional measures such as Provincial Special Crime Investigation Bureaus, the Central Crime Investigation Bureau established on 04.09.2025, criminal data systems, asset monitoring, and action inside prisons to disrupt crime and drug networks.
- Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Ajith P. Perera SJB
AI summary Ajith P. Perera asked the Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development about the suspended construction of the Pelpola Interchange on the Southern Expressway. He referred to a 11 December 2025 decision of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development calling for its completion to support goods and services in flood-affected areas of the Millaniya Divisional Secretary’s Division. He also asked whether the Minister accepts that residents of Millaniya, Kalutara North and Bulathsinhala lack adequate access to the expressway, and what steps have been taken to complete the half-finished interchange.
Infrastructure 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 proposed Millaniya access to the expressway had been discussed at the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development on 11 December 2025, but it is not currently being processed. He said residents of Millaniya, Kalutara North and Bulathsinhala can use the Gelanigama and Dodangoda interchanges, while Bulathsinhala may later access the planned Ingiriya Interchange on the Ruwanpura Expressway. He further explained that land had been acquired for access to the proposed Millaniya Investment Zone at the request of the Board of Investment, but funding has been suspended and no further acquisition is taking place.
Infrastructure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural