Sitting of Friday, 20 February 2026
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 23331 ·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 Parliament Opening and Speaker's Certificate 1 speeches
- 2 Committee report Sectoral Oversight Committee Reports 3 speeches
- 3 Petitions Petitions 4 speeches
- 4 Oral question Oral Question: Three-Judge Anti-Corruption Permanent High Court (Q.1/1206/2024) 13 speeches
- 5 Oral question Oral Question: Mahapola Trust Fund (Q.472/2025) 5 speeches
- The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa JJB
AI summary The Minister, on behalf of the Minister of Trade, provided details on the Lalith Athulathmudali Mahapola Trust Fund in response to Question No. 472/2025, including the current Board of Trustees, their appointing authorities under the amended Mahapola Higher Education Scholarship Trust Fund Act, and the Fund’s value of Rs. 21.6 billion as at 31 December 2025. He tabled income, expenditure, scholarship payment, and recipient data, noting annual Fund income estimates of Rs. 4.768 billion in 2025, scholarship expenditure of Rs. 2.215 billion up to November 2025, and 19,500 scholarships awarded in 2025. He stated that 418,637 students had received Mahapola scholarships from 1981 to 2025, and that detailed annexes with annual accounts and scholarship numbers were tabled and placed in the Library.
- The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Ravi Karunanayake cited Lalith Athulathmudali’s programme as having benefited 418,637 economically challenged students and noted the gap between Advanced Level pass rates and State university admissions. He asked the Minister of Trade and the Prime Minister whether a university could be established in Athulathmudali’s honour to further his educational vision.
Education Full speech → - The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa JJB
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa acknowledged the value of the Mahapola Scholarship Fund established under Hon. Lalith Athulathmudali and noted that many Members may have benefited from it. He stated that the Minister of Trade, as a member of the Mahapola Trust Fund, would provide a response later, and that he would convey the Member’s proposal to him.
Education Full speech → - The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake raised a supplementary question regarding the vandalism of the Lalith Athulathmudali statue at the University of Peradeniya four years earlier and the alleged failure to acknowledge him as the originator of the Mahapola scheme. He requested the Prime Minister, in his capacity as Minister of Education and Higher Education, to ensure disciplinary action and restore official recognition to the scheme’s founder.
- The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa JJB
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa stated that the public is well aware of the Fund and of Hon. Lalith Athulathmudali’s role in establishing it. He emphasized that leaders who created lasting institutions will continue to receive due recognition and respect.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
- 6 Oral question Oral Questions: Deferred and Stand Down (Q.4, Q.5, Q.6) 8 speeches
- 7 Oral question Oral Question: Drug Raids and Asset Seizures (Q.1649/2025) 12 speeches
- 8 Oral question Oral Questions on Tourism, Agriculture and Deferred Question (Q.883/2025) 6 speeches
- 9 Oral question Oral Question: Investments Received (Finance Ministry); Point of Order on Question Scheduling 8 speeches
- 10 Oral question Question by Private Notice: Current Status of SriLankan Airlines Restructure 10 speeches
- 11 Debate Ministerial Statements: Credit Expansion and State Security Mechanism 6 speeches
- 12 Procedural Clarifications and Supplementary Questions; Matters of Order and Privilege 38 speeches
- 13 Procedural Motion on Parliamentary Sitting Hours 2 speeches
- 14 Adjournment Adjournment Motion: Issues Relating to the Power Sector (Coal Procurement for Norochcholai) 97 speeches