Sitting of Thursday, 19 February 2026
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 23328 ·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 Auditor-General's Report 3 speeches
- 2 Committee report Committee Report: 17th Report of the Committee on Public Enterprises 2 speeches
- 3 Petitions Petitions 3 speeches
- 4 Oral question Oral Question: Members of Current Parliament - Salaries and Allowances (Q.117/2024) 9 speeches
- 5 Oral question Oral Question: Water Supply to Porativu Pattu DS Division and Araiyampathi (Q.353/2025) 7 speeches
- 6 Oral question Oral Question: Drug Varieties Manufactured by SPMC (Q.) 7 speeches
- 7 Oral question Oral Question: Kaduruwela Market Complex (Q.) 13 speeches
- 8 Oral question Oral Question: Firearms Review and Archaeological Heritage (Q.7-1717/2025) 9 speeches
- 9 Oral question Oral Question: Consumer Price Controls and Raids (Q.10-1834/2026) 4 speeches
- 10 Oral question Oral Question: Hospital Attendants Shortage and Mahaweli Land Allocation (Q.) 7 speeches
- 11 Procedural Procedural: Points of Order on Standing Orders and Party Representation 13 speeches
- 12 Procedural Statement and Procedural: Legal Basis of Financial Bankruptcy Declaration and Standing Order Debate 31 speeches
- The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha - Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning JJB
AI summary The Minister stated that the April 2022 interim debt standstill was recommended by the Central Bank’s Monetary Board and announced by the Ministry of Finance in response to depleted reserves and external debt servicing difficulties. He said the decision was approved by the then President and Minister of Finance, later ratified by Cabinet, and Parliament was informed on 4 May 2022 during discussions on the economic situation and IMF negotiations. He added that the Central Bank had previously reported the country’s precarious financial position to former Finance Ministers under the Monetary Law Act, and that subsequent debt restructuring and IMF-related agreements were approved by successive Finance Ministers.
- The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Ravi Karunanayake asked the Minister whether the documents or items referred to were being tabled.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha - Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning JJB
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha briefly confirms that the requested items or information are available.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Asked whether the relevant materials or documents would be tabled in Parliament.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha - Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning JJB
AI summary The Minister tabled responses on the suspension of debt repayments, stating it was approved by the former President and former Finance Minister, with Parliament apprised, and noting that a related Fundamental Rights application was dismissed by the Supreme Court. He said there was no constitutional violation and referred to the Public Debt Management Act, No. 33 of 2024, and the Public Financial Management Act, No. 44 of 2024, as part of the current debt and fiscal framework. He also stated that the IMF Extended Fund Facility was requested and approved in March 2023 without prior submission to Parliament, but that the current Government had renegotiated elements of the programme, including tax relief, support for local industries, protection of social spending, increased welfare allowances, and further talks to accommodate cyclone-related spending needs.
- Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake questioned whether Parliament’s constitutional authority over public finance under Articles 148, 149 and 150 had been violated by declaring a debt standstill without parliamentary approval. He also raised concern that, according to the Minister’s answer, some debt-related payments were selectively made rather than uniformly suspended, and stressed that such decisions affecting the national economy require parliamentary oversight.
- Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake questioned the Government’s handling of IMF discussions and debt policy, asking why the visiting IMF Managing Director was not requested to raise the PAYE threshold, reduce the 30 per cent tax rate, or secure softer and longer debt repayment terms. He argued that Parliament’s approval is required for any debt standstill or declaration of bankruptcy and called for a separate debate on whether such actions violated Articles 148, 149 and 150 of the Constitution.
- The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha - Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning JJB
AI summary Minister Anil Jayantha stated that the relevant actions had been taken through the proper parliamentary and Cabinet-approved procedures and that there had been no violation of the Constitution. He said discussions with the IMF Managing Director focused on Sri Lanka’s restored stability, confidence in the Government, and prospects for recovery, rather than any separate demand to further increase reserves. He added that the improved stability was creating conditions for renewed public confidence and elections.
- The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake rose on a point of order. No substantive issue, proposal, or argument is stated in the provided excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Ravi Karunanayake stated that parliamentary questions should receive satisfactory answers rather than mere recitations. He emphasized the expectation of substantive responses within parliamentary proceedings.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake asked the Speaker to enforce the guidelines approved on 18 November for Questions under Standing Order 27(2). He requested that Parliamentary staff and Ministry Secretaries be instructed to ensure such answers are prepared for delivery within five minutes, noting that a Deputy Minister’s response that day had exceeded the expected duration.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva began to address the House by referring to Hon. Bimal Rathnayake, but the provided excerpt contains no substantive remarks, argument, proposal, or question to summarize.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna raised a question of privilege alleging that a conversation he had in the Chamber with the Leader of the Opposition on 18 February 2026 was recorded from the Government side and broadcast on Capital TV and social media, portraying him negatively. He argued that sharing such footage outside official Parliamentary mechanisms breaches Standing Orders, the Code of Conduct, and the Parliamentary (Powers and Privileges) Act. He requested the Speaker to review Chamber camera footage and refer the matter to the Committee on Ethics and Privileges.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake rose to a point of order. No substantive argument, proposal, or question was presented in the excerpt provided.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Ravi Karunanayake raised a point concerning parliamentary procedure and the rights of Members to receive satisfactory answers to questions asked on behalf of the public. He urged the Speaker to maintain decorum and protect MPs’ interests, arguing that inadequate or inaccurate responses undermine parliamentary accountability. He further claimed that the matter involved infringements of Articles 148, 149 and 150 of the Constitution, relating to parliamentary control over public finance.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake raised a point of privilege, stating that a privilege under the Standing Orders had been violated. He did not provide further details in the excerpt regarding the nature of the alleged violation.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary The Leader of the Opposition, Sajith Premadasa, rose to raise a point of order. No substantive argument, proposal, or question is included in the provided excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Hon. Sajith Premadasa raised a procedural point before making a point of order, requesting that he be allocated the same speaking time as Hon. Bimal Rathnayake, the Leader of the House.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary The Leader of the Opposition objected to a proposal to instruct Ministry Secretaries to limit answers given under Standing Order 27(2) to five minutes. He argued that matters such as public financial management and the country’s bankruptcy require full responses, emphasizing Parliament’s authority over public finance and warning that limiting answers would curtail democratic rights.
- Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa objected to time limits on parliamentary responses, arguing that complex policy and economic questions require comprehensive answers. He urged that Members be allowed adequate time to address such issues rather than being restricted to five minutes.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
- 13 Debate Private Members' Bill: Kandyan Marriage and Divorce (Amendment) Bill 3 speeches
- 14 Procedural Procedural: Points of Order on Standing Orders and Bill Presentation 14 speeches
- 15 Debate Debate: Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill and Judicature (Amendment) Bill - Second Reading 38 speeches
- 16 Debate Debate (continued): Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill and Judicature (Amendment) Bill 65 speeches
- 17 Debate Debate (Final Stage): Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill - Third Reading and Amendments 4 speeches
- 18 Adjournment Adjournment 7 speeches