Sitting of Tuesday, 7 April 2026
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 23476 ·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: Parliament Session - Administrative Announcements and Personnel 29 speeches
- 2 Opening Opening: Speaker's Announcements - Message from the President and Constitution Petitions 2 speeches
- 3 Papers Papers: Auditor-General's Report and Ministry Annual Reports Tabling 10 speeches
- 4 Petitions Petitions: Citizens' Petitions Presentation 4 speeches
- 5 Oral question Oral Question: Prices of Essential Goods and Economic Relief Package 4 speeches
- 6 Oral question Oral Question: Fishermen in Puttalam District - Fuel Subsidy (Q.749/2025) 22 speeches
- 7 Oral question Oral Question: Construction of Waste-to-Energy Power Plant in Karadiyana (Q.842/2025) 8 speeches
- 8 Oral question Oral Question: Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children - Waiting Lists (Q.1030/2025) 9 speeches
- 9 Oral question Oral Question: Aswesuma Programme - Appeals and Objections 22 speeches
- 10 Oral question Oral Question: School Safety - Abuse and Violence in Educational Institutions 11 speeches
- 11 Oral question Oral Question: SriLankan Airlines - A330-200 Aircraft Acquisition and Fertilizer Distribution 21 speeches
- 12 Opening Ministry Statement: Direct Ferry Service between Mannar and India 8 speeches
- 13 Procedural Procedural: Points of Order on Coal Audit Report Distribution 4 speeches
- 14 Debate Debate: Social Security Contribution Levy (Amendment) Bill - Second Reading and Related Orders (Chair Change - Introduction) 12 speeches
- 15 Procedural Procedural: Adjournment for Lunch Interval 1 speeches
- 16 Debate Debate: Social Security Contribution Levy (Amendment) Bill and Related Orders - Continuation (Post-Lunch) 59 speeches
- 17 Debate Debate: Amendment of Standing Orders 119(4) and 120(4) and Committee Stage 27 speeches
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary A motion was moved for Parliament to approve amendments to Standing Orders 119(4) and 120(4) based on the Committee on Standing Orders report presented on 20 February 2026. The proposed amendments would allow the Committee on Public Accounts and the Committee on Public Enterprises, after tabling reports and with Parliament’s approval, to refer findings of serious financial fraud, bribery or corruption directly to the Bribery Commission or the Inspector-General of Police for action.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) Nishantha Samaraweera JJB
AI summary COPE’s Chair reported that the Committee had held 29 meetings over the past year and examined 21 public enterprises based on audit observations from 2022–2024, identifying instances where financial regulations and procedures may have been manipulated or overridden. He argued that referring wrongdoing for investigation does not undermine the public service, but protects lawful officials and addresses possible political or administrative interference. He proposed amendments to Standing Orders 119 and 120 to allow COPE and COPA, after Parliament considers their reports, to directly refer prima facie serious matters to the CID or the Bribery Commission for further investigation and due process.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Jagath Vithana SJB
AI summary Hon. Jagath Vithana raised a question of parliamentary privilege, stating that police correspondence and a Senior DIG report had confirmed an assassination plot against him by organised criminals, but that his police protection was later withdrawn. He tabled related documents and alleged the withdrawal occurred contrary to directions from the Speaker and Defence Minister, while noting pending Fundamental Rights and damages proceedings. He denied claims that he had organised a bus strike and requested an investigation, summoning of those responsible, and safeguards to prevent similar action affecting other Members.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake supported the intent of proposed Standing Order amendments but argued that existing COPE and COPA mechanisms under Parliament’s fiscal powers should be corrected and expedited rather than creating a new process. He raised concern that public officers are deterred from taking discretionary decisions due to overlapping scrutiny from audit, anti-corruption and law enforcement bodies, and urged that international recommendations be adapted to Sri Lankan conditions. He also called for urgent scrutiny of Central Bank bank supervision following reported irregularities at NDB, references to Cargills Bank and Sampath Bank matters, and questioned the role of CBSL supervisory and audit functions, requesting ministerial and Cabinet attention to strengthen bank balance sheets and the supervisory framework.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Aravinda Senarath - Deputy Minister of Land and Irrigation JJB
AI summary Deputy Minister Aravinda Senarath discussed the role of COPA and COPE under Standing Orders 119 and 120, arguing that they must move beyond audit discussions to effective follow-up on fraud, corruption and institutional inefficiency. He cited recent COPA actions, including recovery of payments for excess or misused fuel by former provincial officials, and examples of irregular conduct such as improper vehicle registration. He supported proposed amendments to Standing Orders to allow Parliament, after debate on COPA recommendations and ministerial observations, to refer findings of fraud or corruption to bodies such as the CID or the Bribery Commission for legal action.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake - Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development and the Leader of the House of Parliament JJB
AI summary Bimal Rathnayake addressed reports of a Rs. 13.2 billion fraud at a Sri Lankan bank, stating that the President is intervening, depositors are not affected, and the bank is not at risk of collapse due to capital requirements and regulatory oversight. He said any wrongdoing by bank owners, senior officers, or employees should be dealt with through appropriate Central Bank and audit interventions. He also criticized foreign media reports suggesting fuel shortages or economic paralysis, arguing that fuel supply has been maintained despite global pressures and that the economy is growing at 5.2 percent.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake supported amendments to the Standing Orders intended to make COPE and COPA findings on serious fraud or corruption more effective by allowing Parliament, through a motion, to decide on referrals to the Attorney General. He said these committees rely heavily on the Auditor General and parliamentary staff because they lack investigative arms, and argued that corruption and negligence also involve some public officers, not only politicians. He added that earlier attempts to introduce such a process were blocked, and clarified that remarks by Deputy Minister Prasanna Gunasena concerned continuing theft by some CTB bus conductors and drivers, not allegations against the current SLTB Chairman.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake supported the proposed amendments to the Standing Orders, arguing that they would strengthen parliamentary procedure and better uphold the public mandate. He emphasized that the Auditor General and her team’s investigations should lead to tangible outcomes rather than only public attention.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Bimal Rathnayake moved an amendment to Standing Order 119(4), proposing that a new paragraph listed in the day’s Order Paper be inserted immediately after the first paragraph of the existing provision.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Bimal Rathnayake moved an amendment to Standing Order 120(4), proposing the insertion of a new paragraph immediately after its first existing paragraph. The proposed text was as set out in the day’s Order Paper.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake sought permission to correct linguistic, typographical, grammatical and numbering errors in the revised Standing Orders of Parliament, and to make any consequential amendments arising from those corrections.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- 18 Papers Papers: Ceylon Fisheries Corporation Annual Report 2 speeches
- 19 Procedural Written Answers to Questions 9 speeches