Minister of Justice and National Integration, Attorney-at-Law Harshana Nanayakkara, told Parliament today (February 3) that the proposed Bills to repeal the Rent Act and to introduce the Protection of Occupants law will not cause harm to individuals or businesses engaged in renting out houses.
Addressing concerns raised over the proposed legislation, the Minister said both Bills were prepared by a panel of experts and followed due legal and procedural processes before being presented.
He said the two draft Bills were gazetted on September 18, 2025, and subsequently opened for public consultation from November 4, 2025, to January 15, 2026. During this period, the draft laws were published on the official website of the Ministry as well as in Sinhala, Tamil and English newspapers to invite public comments.
The Minister noted that only two formal submissions were received during the initial consultation period, stressing that the proposed laws were not being introduced secretly.
“This is not a law brought in through the back door. Our intention is to introduce the best possible legislation for the people of this country,” he said, calling on all stakeholders, regardless of political affiliation, to submit constructive proposals.
Nanayakkara also informed Parliament that the Ministry received a letter dated January 29, 2026, from the Bar Association of Sri Lanka expressing the need to present its views on the proposed Bills.
Taking into account requests from various parties, the Minister said the Government has decided to extend the period for public consultation by a further one month, from February 3, 2026.
He added that once written submissions are received, they will be reviewed by a committee headed by the Additional Secretary (Legal) of the Ministry of Justice and National Integration, which will assess the recommendations, observations and proposals before finalising the draft legislation.
The Minister reiterated that the Government’s objective is to introduce the most suitable and balanced legal framework for the country and urged all interested parties to submit their views in writing to the Ministry without delay. (Newswire)