Mr. Speaker - The Hon. (Dr.) Jagath Wickramaratne

¶ 01 The Parliament met at 9.30 a.m., Mr. Speaker in the Chair.

¶ 02 Announcements

¶ 03 Protection of Occupants Bill and Rent (Repeal) Bill: Decision of the Supreme Court

¶ 04 I wish to inform Parliament that I have received the Decision of the Supreme Court in respect of the Bills titled “Protection of Occupants” and “Rent (Repeal)”, which had been challenged in the Supreme Court in terms of Article 121(1) of the Constitution.

¶ 05 In view of the undertakings given by the Hon. Attorney-General based on the letter issued to him by the Secretary to the Ministry of Justice on 06.02.2026 that the Bills titled “Protection of Occupants” and “Rent (Repeal)” would not be proceeded with in their present form, but would instead be referred to an expert committee for consideration, and appropriate steps would be taken to present them as new Bills, the petitioners had withdrawn their petitions.

¶ 06 Accordingly, the Supreme Court has decided that there was no necessity to make formal determinations in respect of the two Bills titled “Protection of Occupants” and “Rent (Repeal)” in terms of Article 121(3) of the Constitution.

¶ 07 I order that the Decision of the Supreme Court be printed in the Official Report of today's Proceedings.

¶ 08 Decision of the Supreme Court:

¶ 09 12th February 2026

¶ 10 Hon. Speaker,

¶ 11 Parliament of Sri Lanka

¶ 12 PROTECTION OF OCCUPANTS BILL RENT (REPEAL) BILL

¶ 13 Five petitioners in SC/SD/6/2026 to SC/SD/10/2026 invoked the jurisdiction of this Court under Article 121(1) of the Constitution challenging the constitutionality of the Protection of Occupants Bill. One petitioner in SC/SD/11/2026 similarly challenged the constitutionality of the Rent (Repeal) Bill.

¶ 14 At the hearing of the said applications, learned Senior Solicitor General Mr. Sumathi Dharmawardena, by tendering a copy of the letter dated 06.02.2026 addressed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Justice to the Hon. Attorney-General, informed Court that the aforesaid two Bills would not be proceeded with in their present form, but would instead be referred to an expert committee for consideration, and that thereafter appropriate steps would be taken to present them as new Bills. A copy of the said letter is annexed hereto. In view of the said undertaking, the petitioners in SC/SD/6/2026 to SC/SD/10/2026, who had challenged the Protection of Occupants Bill, withdrew their petitions.

¶ 15 On the same basis, there was no necessity to proceed with the hearing in respect of the Rent (Repeal) Bill in SC/SD/11/2026.

¶ 16 Accordingly, this Court determined that there was no necessity to make formal determinations in respect of the aforesaid two Bills in terms of Article 121(3) of the Constitution.

¶ 17 Justice Mahinda Samayawardhena Judge of the Supreme Court

¶ 18 Privilege: Threat Made by Vice Chairman of Akurana Pradeshiya Sabha

¶ 19 A motion may be moved to refer the matter raised in Parliament on 05 February 2026 by Hon. MP Riyas Farook, under Questions on Privilege, to the Committee on Ethics and Privileges.

¶ 20 Papers Presented