Sitting of Tuesday, 5 May 2026
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 23546 ·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: Message from the President - Public Security Proclamation 1 speeches
- 2 Papers Papers: Reports and Regulations Tabled 12 speeches
- 3 Committee report Committee Reports: Sectoral Oversight Committee Reports 4 speeches
- 4 Petitions Petitions: Citizens' Petitions (Four Petitions) 5 speeches
- 5 Oral question Oral Question Q.1 (233/2024): Establishment of Provincial High Court for Western Province 7 speeches
- 6 Oral question Oral Question Q.2 (361/2024): The Finance Company - Liquidation and Compensation to Depositors 6 speeches
- 7 Oral question Oral Question Q.3 (467/2025): Tourist Arrivals from 2010 - Details 10 speeches
- 8 Oral question Oral Question Q.4 (568/2025): Loans Obtained from State Banks by CEB 8 speeches
- 9 Oral question Oral Question Q.5 (642/2025): Committees Investigated into Nationwide Power Failure on 09.02.2025 9 speeches
- 10 Oral question Oral Question Q.6: Speaker's Personal Staff, Vehicles and Official Residence 17 speeches
- 11 Oral question Oral Questions Q.7-Q.9: Education Statistics, Aquaculture, CEB and SriLankan Airlines 13 speeches
- 12 Procedural Procedural: Points of Order and Privilege Question (Dayasiri Jayasekara) 15 speeches
- 13 Oral question Questions under Standing Order 27(2): Debt Service Payment and Central Bank 15 speeches
- 14 Procedural Procedural and Main Business: Adjournment Motion Request and Agriculture Statement 33 speeches
- The Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka SJB
AI summary Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka raised concern over reports that millions of US dollars in Treasury funds had gone missing, stressing Parliament’s responsibility over public finance and the absence of reporting to the House. He stated that the Opposition had sought a debate at the Party Leaders’ meeting and by written request, and renewed the request under Standing Order 19(2)(c), supported by more than twenty Opposition Members standing in the Chamber.
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law SJB
AI summary Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara raised a point of order disputing the Chair’s interpretation of Standing Order 19(2)(c). He argued that if leave is not granted, the support of twenty Members rising is sufficient, and requested that the debate be allowed without reinterpretation of the provision.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Bimal Rathnayake stated that while Members’ request to take up the motion could be allowed, it would disrupt the day’s scheduled business and involved matters already addressed to the Leader of the Opposition as well as facts before Court. He proposed, on procedural grounds, allocating time from 3.30 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. that afternoon for the debate.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law SJB
AI summary The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara briefly stated that the matter being discussed was not the relevant issue, without providing further argument, proposal, or detail.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law SJB
AI summary Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara raised a point of order during the proceedings. No substantive policy argument, proposal, or question is recorded in the provided speech.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Bimal Rathnayake briefly requested that parliamentary proceedings be allowed to continue.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Bimal Rathnayake objected to continued exchanges after time had been allocated, urging that the sitting move on to the main business.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law SJB
AI summary Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara rose on a point of order. No substantive argument, proposal, or policy issue was presented in the provided excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Nalinda Jayatissa JJB
AI summary Nalinda Jayatissa criticized the Opposition’s conduct in Parliament, saying they staged a political “drama” and continued shouting even after being given time to speak. He questioned the reason for their behavior, implying it was intended to disrupt proceedings rather than engage in debate.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Bimal Rathnayake urged the House to proceed to the main business on the Order Paper.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. K.D. Lal Kantha - Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation JJB
AI summary The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation began responding to a question raised by Hon. Sajith Premadasa under Standing Order 27(2). He indicated that the response would address, first, the total quantity of paddy purchased by the Government during the 2025 Yala season and the related expenditure.
Agriculture Full speech → - The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law SJB
AI summary Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara questioned whether the rights and privileges of Members of Parliament were being protected. The intervention appears to seek clarification or assurance from the Chair or relevant parliamentary authority on safeguarding MPs’ procedural rights.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Bimal Rathnayake stated that insulting allegations were being made against the Speaker and urged that disciplinary action be taken, arguing that there should be limits to such conduct. The exchange occurred amid interjections, with some remarks later expunged.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary The Leader of the Opposition, Sajith Premadasa, rose on a point of order. No substantive issue, proposal, or question was stated in the provided excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa questioned the decision to shorten an agreed parliamentary debate scheduled from 3.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. He asked by what authority the debate time had been reduced by half an hour, noting that the original timing was on the record.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Requested that the debate be held from 3.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. without reducing its duration by half an hour.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Ajith P. Perera SJB
AI summary Ajith P. Perera states that two hours are required, likely referring to the amount of time needed for a parliamentary matter or debate.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary The Government agreed to allow the requested debate from 3.30 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. in accordance with Standing Orders. Bimal Rathnayake warned that if the Opposition obstructed the main business of the House, the Government would withdraw the concession and would not allocate any additional time beyond the agreed slot.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. K.D. Lal Kantha - Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation JJB
AI summary The Minister provided figures on paddy procurement, stating that 49,552 metric tons were purchased in the 2025 Yala season at a cost of Rs. 6,300 million, while 49,780.748 metric tons had been purchased in the 2025/26 Maha season by 19 March 2026 at a cost of Rs. 5,982.373 million, with a target of 80,000 metric tons. He said 2,978 metric tons had been released to SATOSA without loss, storage capacity was sufficient subject to renting warehouses where needed, and farmer protests concerned wet paddy, which the Paddy Marketing Board does not purchase. He explained that the Rs. 120 minimum procurement price for standard paddy includes production cost, drying cost, and a 26–30 per cent profit margin, and reported that storm-related crop losses would reduce the expected Maha harvest from 2.66 million to 2.58 million metric tons. He added that Maha and Yala production were expected to meet national rice needs overall, but Cabinet had approved a limited import of Samba/Keeri Samba substitute rice grades due to shortfalls in those varieties, with relevant annexes placed in the Library.
Agriculture Full speech → - The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa urged the Government to reassess the paddy cost-of-production formula with state institutions and experts, arguing that the stated Rs. 95 per kilogramme was unrealistic given higher fuel, machinery, seed, and fertilizer costs. He called on the Government to fulfill its promise to pay and legislate a Rs. 150 per kilogramme price, relax the 14 per cent moisture standard where necessary, and expand procurement support for farmers during the Yala season amid continuing fertilizer shortages.
- The Hon. K.D. Lal Kantha - Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation JJB
AI summary The Minister stated that the cost of production for paddy changes over time and that the earlier Rs. 150 per kilogram figure reflected the exceptional period of fertilizer shortages and high input costs. He said the cost of production would be recalculated for the Yala season, that the Paddy Marketing Board price may change from Rs. 120, and that support measures and subsidies would be adjusted to maintain stability while reflecting increased costs.
- 15 Debate Debate: Port City Economic Commission Regulations and Orders 49 speeches
- 16 Procedural Procedural: Adjournment Motion Introduction 16 speeches
- 17 Adjournment Adjournment Debate: Failure to Report Foreign Debt Repayment Diversion to Parliament 127 speeches
- 18 Procedural Closing: Written Answers and Hansard Publication Information 5 speeches