Sitting of Tuesday, 3 March 2026
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 23335 ·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 Message from President 1 speeches
- 2 Papers Papers: Regulations, Reports and Orders Tabled 7 speeches
- 3 Petitions Petitions Presented 4 speeches
- 4 Oral question Oral Question: Generators Facilitating Cooling at Norochcholai Power Plant (Q.68/2025) 12 speeches
- 5 Oral question Oral Question: Question No. 3 (Q.840/2025) - Deferred 3 speeches
- 6 Procedural Procedural: Points of Order and Opposition Walk-out 10 speeches
- 7 Oral question Oral Question: Agricultural Research and Production Assistants (Q.913/2025) 12 speeches
- 8 Oral question Oral Question: Police Stations and Officers (Q.?/2025) with Supplementaries 10 speeches
- 9 Oral question Oral Question: Nursing Service (Q.7/2025) 5 speeches
- 10 Procedural Procedural: Standing Order 27(2) Question and Points of Order 9 speeches
- 11 Oral question Oral Question by Private Notice: Reactivation of Deregistered Islamic Charitable Organizations (Q.27(2)) 14 speeches
- The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Ravi Karunanayake raised a point of Order. No substantive argument, proposal, or policy issue was stated in the provided excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Ravi Karunanayake stated that the matter could only be raised in Parliament, indicating that the parliamentary forum was necessary for addressing the issue.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake stated that the matter was being raised on behalf of the public. No further substantive details, proposals, or demands were provided in the excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary The Member states that the matter being referred to would fall outside the purview of Parliament.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. M.L.A.M. Hizbullah SLMC
AI summary Hon. M.L.A.M. Hizbullah raised a Question by Private Notice to the Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs regarding the 2019 mass deregistration of approximately 350 Islamic charitable organizations registered under the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs. He said the cancellations, made without individual inquiries or published reports, disrupted religious, cultural, educational, youth, sports and social services and caused concern within the Muslim community. He asked whether the Minister acknowledged the cancellations, whether steps would be taken to reactivate the organizations’ registrations, and what action had already been taken to restore them.
- The Hon. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi — Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs
AI summary The Minister responded to three questions under Standing Order 27(2), stating that 435, not 350, Islamic charitable organizations had been registered by the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs before all such registrations were annulled administratively with effect from 24 September 2019. He said the Department has no mechanism to restore those registrations, citing a Trincomalee Civil Appellate High Court judgment that registration and regulation fall under the Muslim Mosques and Charitable Trusts or Wakfs Act with Waqf Board approval. He added that eligible organizations may seek registration under that Act, while others may register through the Divisional Secretariat, Department of Social Services, or Registrar of Companies, and tabled the relevant annexes.
- The Hon. M.L.A.M. Hizbullah SLMC
AI summary Hon. M.L.A.M. Hizbullah stated that about 350 organizations registered under the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs were deregistered without any court order or legal decision removing the Department’s authority. He argued that the Director’s cancellation letter could be withdrawn administratively, allowing the organizations to resume functioning without new legislation, and asked the Minister to advise the Department accordingly. He noted that bodies such as the Sri Lanka Khateeb and Muazzin Welfare Organization had their bank accounts and investments affected by the deregistration.
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. M.L.A.M. Hizbullah SLMC
AI summary Hon. M.L.A.M. Hizbullah requested the Minister to consult the Department’s Director and have a letter withdrawn so that affected organizations can resume operations immediately. He said any concerns about a specific organization should be handled by holding that organization’s registration and investigating it, rather than affecting all organizations collectively.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi JJB
AI summary Hon. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi said the disputed letter from the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs appeared to be an administrative decision rather than a personal action, but should be examined further. He noted that withdrawal of the letter may not resolve the issue due to related court determinations and the Waqf Board’s registration authority, and outlined possible registration avenues under the Waqf Act, Divisional Secretariat, Department of Social Services, or Registrar of Companies. He undertook to discuss the matter with the relevant Cabinet Minister to assess any legal scope for reconsideration.
- 12 Procedural Privilege Question and Procedural Discussion on Coal Supply 23 speeches
- 13 Debate Main Business: Order under Foreign Exchange Act - Motion Introduction 2 speeches
- 14 Debate President's Address on Middle East War Impact and Opposition Response 5 speeches
- 15 Debate Debate: Regulation under Foreign Exchange Act, No. 12 of 2017 55 speeches
- 16 Adjournment Adjournment Motion: Civil Defence Personnel Secondment 7 speeches
- 17 Procedural Deferred Questions and Parliament Adjournment 6 speeches