The Parliamentary Business Committee has decided that the no‑confidence motion against the Minister of Justice and National Integration, Harshana Nanayakkara, will be taken up for debate in Parliament on Friday (24).

The decision was reached during the Parliamentary Business Committee’s meeting held earlier today.

The Opposition formally handed over a no‑confidence motion against Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara to Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne in Parliament yesterday (22).

The submission was made with the signatures of several Opposition MPs, marking a coordinated challenge to the Minister’s position.

The motion comes in direct response to the Negombo Prison unrest on July 5 and 6, where clashes left a number of prison officers and inmates dead and several others seriously injured. 

The Opposition argues that Minister Nanayakkara failed to fulfill his responsibility and accountability for ensuring the safety of those in custody. (Newswire)

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A tense situation arose in Parliament today (05) when the Opposition demanded an urgent debate on the US$2.5 million Treasury cyber theft.

Chief Opposition Whip MP Gayantha Karunathileke told the House that a written request had been submitted to the Speaker. 

Following the proposal, several Opposition MPs stood in their seats, pressing the government to allow the debate.

Responding, Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne clarified that an urgent debate can only be held if the proposal is submitted before the session begins and approved by both the Speaker and Parliament.

A heated exchange ensued between the Speaker and Opposition MPs, after which Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake informed the chamber that the government was prepared to hold the debate today.

Minister Rathnayake announced that the government was open to holding the urgent debate from 3.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. (Newswire)

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The Parliament of Sri Lanka will meet from Tuesday (20 May) to Friday (23 May), the Secretary General of Parliament, Kushani Rohanadeera, announced.

According to a Parliament statement, this decision was made during the meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business held recently (16 May), chaired by the Speaker (Dr.) Jagath Wickramaratne.

• Schedule for Tuesday (20 May);

The time from 9.30 a.m. to 10.00 a.m. has been allocated for the Business of Parliament as per Standing Order 22(1) to (6) of the Parliament. The time from 10.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. has been allocated for Questions for Oral Answers, and the time from 11.00 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. has been allocated for Questions under Standing Order 27(2) of the Parliament. 

Thereafter, from 11.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., it is scheduled to take up the debate on the Order under the Excise (Special Provisions) Act. Subsequently, from 5.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m., the Motion at the Adjournment Time by the Opposition is scheduled to be taken up for debate.

• Scheduled for Wednesday (21 May);

The time from 9.30 a.m. to 10.00 a.m. has been allocated for the Business of Parliament as per Standing Order 22(1) to (6) of the Parliament. The time from 10.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. has been allocated for Questions for Oral Answers, and the time from 11.00 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. has been allocated for Questions under Standing Order 27(2) of the Parliament. 

Thereafter, from 11.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., the Order under the Finance Act, No. 25 of 2003 and the Notification under the Finance Act, No. 35 of 2018 are scheduled to be taken up for debate. Subsequently, the time from 5.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. has been allocated for Questions at the Adjournment Time.

• Scheduled for Thursday (22 May);

The time from 9.30 a.m. to 10.00 a.m. has been allocated for the Business of Parliament as per Standing Order 22(1) to (6) of the Parliament. The time from 10.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. has been allocated for Questions for Oral Answers, and the time from 11.00 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. has been allocated for Questions under Standing Order 27(2) of the Parliament. 

Thereafter, from 11.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., it is scheduled to take up the debate on the Regulations under the Imports and Exports (Control) Act and Ten Resolutions under Section 8 of the Appropriation Act, No. 34 of 2023. Subsequently, from 5.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m., the Motion at the Adjournment Time by the Government is scheduled to be taken up for debate.

• Schedule for Friday (23 May);

The time from 9.30 a.m. to 10.00 a.m. has been allocated for the Business of Parliament as per Standing Order 22(1) to (6) of the Parliament. The time from 10.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. has been allocated for Questions for Oral Answers, and the time from 11.00 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. has been allocated for Questions under Standing Order 27(2) of the Parliament. 

Thereafter, from 11.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., the Second Reading of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill is scheduled to be taken up for debate. Further, the Committee also agreed to take up the Second Reading of the Bill titled “Foreign Loans (Repeal) Bill,” which was presented to Parliament for the First Reading on 2025.05.08, in addition to the already scheduled Business, in the event no petition is filed in the Supreme Court in terms of Article 121 of the Constitution against the said Bill. Subsequently, the time from 5.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. has been allocated for Questions at the Adjournment Time. (Newswire)

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The Committee on Parliamentary Affairs has decided to hold a debate on the ‘Batalanda Commission Report’ in Parliament in April. 

According to a Parliament statement, the first day of the debate will be held on 10 April 2025.

The second day will be scheduled in May, with the exact date yet to be finalised, the statement added. 

The ‘Batalanda Commission Report’ was tabled in Parliament on Friday (14 Mar) by Leader of the House, Minister Bimal Rathnayake.

Addressing the Parliament, Minister Rathnayake said the report would be forwarded to the Attorney General for advice on necessary action.

He further said that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake would appoint a special committee to study and make recommendations on the report.

What is the Batalanda Commission Report?

It concerns the alleged human rights violations, murders and disappearances that occurred during the 1988/90 period.

Upon assuming office as President, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga established the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on September 21, 1995, to investigate these incidents.

Known as the Batalanda Commission, it was tasked with examining the illegal detention, torture, assassination and disappearances of individuals at the Batalanda Housing Scheme.

After nearly three years of gathering evidence, the commission submitted its report to President Kumaratunga in 1998, but the recommendations of the Batalanda Commission Report were never implemented. (Newswire)

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The Committee on Parliamentary Business has decided to take up for debate in Parliament the Resolution for the implementation of Sri Lanka’s External Debt Restructuring Agreements, on 02 and 03 July 2024.

According to a Parliament statement, this was decided at the meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business held this morning (June 28) under the chairmanship of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena and with the participation of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

Accordingly, the Parliament is scheduled to meet on Tuesday (02 July) at 9.30 am and it has been decided to hold the debate until 5.00 pm. The President is also scheduled to make a special statement to Parliament on that day regarding the implementation of external debt restructuring agreements.

The debate will continue for the second day on Wednesday (03 July) from 9.30 am to 5.00 pm. Subsequently, the vote on this resolution is scheduled to be held at 5.00 pm on the same day.

This resolution is submitted to the Parliament to grant the necessary permission to the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policy to implement the Final Agreement reached between Sri Lanka and the Official Creditor Committee (OCC) on Debt Restructuring and the Final Amendment Agreement to Loan Agreements reached between Sri Lanka and the Export-Import Bank of China (EXIM Bank) this week.

Sri Lanka signed deals with China and other creditor nations to restructure about $10 billion in bilateral debt on Wednesday (June 26), helping it approach the end of a restructuring process that began in September 2022 after its reserves hit record lows and forced it to default on foreign debt for the first time.

Sri Lankan officials in Paris inked the agreement with the Official Creditor Committee (OCC) co-chaired by Japan, India and France which have lent a combined $5.8 billion. A separate agreement was also signed with China EXIM Bank to rework $4.2 billion of debt. (Newswire)

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The National Peoples Power (NPP) has agreed to a date proposed by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) for a public debate between the leaders of the two parties but has not made any mention of a debate between the Economic Councils of the parties. 

The NPP has not made any statement regarding a debate between the Economic Councils of the parties, despite the SJB having suggested a debate between the Economic Councils, prior to that between the two party leaders. 

Addressing the media today, JVP/NPP’s coordinator for the proposed debate, Dr Nalinda Jayatissa said the NPP has picked June 06, 2024, for a debate between NPP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa.

Stating that discussions on the debate proposed between the Presidential candidates of the two parties had faced a deadlock in the recent past, Jayatissa said that however, for the first time, Sajith Premadasa’s faction had proposed dates for the debate.

Dr Nalinda Jayatissa said among the five dates proposed by the Premadasa faction, the NPP has picked June 06 for the debate between Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Sajith Premadasa. 

Further discussions on the venue, time, and subject will be held with the representative of the SJB, he added. (Newswire)

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The National Peoples Power (NPP) has made two proposals to the Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) concerning the controversial debate challenge between the two parties. 

Issuing a statement, NPP member Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa laid down the following two proposals;

1. We are ready to hold a debate between Comrade Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the leader of the National People’s Power and Mr. Sajith Premadasa, the leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, on the path to recovery from the overall crisis that the country has fallen into.
2. If, for any reason, the Samagi Jana Balawega is not ready for such a debate and accordingly, if such a debate is not held, the Economic Council of the National Peoples Power is prepared to have a debate with a similar representative group of the Samagi Jana Balavegaya.

The NPP further alleged that a challenge for a debate extended by its Party Leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake to the Opposition and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Leader MP Sajith Premadasa was declined by the latter for undisclosed reasons. 

Issuing a clarification over the matter, NPP member Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said MP Dissanayake first called for the challenge for a debate and accused the SJB of trying to divert the attention to a debate between the economic councils of the two parties.

Addressing claims by the SJB that the NPP was avoiding a debate between the economic councils of the two parties, he said the Economic Council of the NPP does not need to avoid the debate on the economy as it has a strategic plan and practical programme related to the recovery of Sri Lanka from the economic crisis and to develop it as a developed country worldwide.

The full statement of the NPP: 

Some people are trying to spread wrong information about a debate between Comrade Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the leader of the National People’s Power, and Sajith Premadasa, the leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, so the truth needs to be clarified.

The first conversation about a debate between the two sides was created with the statement made by the leader of our party, Comrade Anura Kumara Dissanayake, on 01.09.2023 on the Hiru ‘Salakuna TV programme, that he is ready for a debate with Mr. Sajith Premadasa on the development path of the country. It was in response to the opinions raised by journalists about the situation in which Mr. Sajith Premadasa was coming out with various stories against the National People’s Power in various media.

Regrettably, Mr. Sajith Premadasa declined the debate challenge for undisclosed reasons. Subsequently, several MPs from his party proposed an alternative debate on economic policies with the Economic Council of the National People’s Power. We now observe an attempt by some members of the Samagi Jana Balavegaya to divert attention from the original debate, as evidenced by the press release issued by MP Nalin Bandara on the 9th of this month.

In that announcement, he accuses the Economic Council of the National People’s Power of avoiding the debate, saying that he was the first to propose the debate and that the National People’s Power has forgotten the past. However, the Economic Council of the National People’s Power does not need to avoid the debate on the economy as it has a strategic plan and practical programme related to the recovery of Sri Lanka from the economic crisis and to develop it as a developed country worldwide.

We reiterate the crucial importance of the debate between Comrade Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Mr. Sajith Premadasa, both of whom are potential candidates for the upcoming presidential election in 2024. This debate, based on the initial discussion, will serve as a clear indicator of who is afflicted with the ‘disease of forgetting the past ‘.

Considering all this, we would like to submit the following proposals to the Samagi Jana Balawegaya

1. We are ready to hold a debate between Comrade Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the leader of the National People’s Power and Mr. Sajith Premadasa, the leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, on the path to recovery from the overall crisis that the country has fallen into.
2. If, for any reason, the Samagi Jana Balawega is not ready for such a debate and accordingly, if such a debate is not held, the Economic Council of the National Peoples Power is prepared to have a debate with a similar representative group of the Samagi Jana Balavegaya.

In light of this, we earnestly request the Samagi Jana Balawegaya and all its affiliated parties to desist from disseminating false information about the debate. We also appeal to the public not to be swayed by these falsehoods and to perceive the situation accurately. (Newswire)

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Opposition Leader MP Sajith Premadasa has announced that he was prepared for a public debate with any political party on the various problems faced by Sri Lanka.

Addressing an event in Mullaitivu, MP Premadasa said such open debates would improve the quality of a democratic society, emphasizing that he was ready for a debate on any topic, including economic, social, political, international, etc.

Stating that he was not only ready for any debate, MP Premadasa further challenged other political parties to compete with him to serve the country.

His comments come after National Peoples Power (NPP) member Sunil Handunnetti yesterday challenged MP Sajith Premadasa for a public debate, stating that the NPP accepts various calls for a debate proposed by Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) members. 

Handunnetti further said party Leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake was ready for a public debate with MP Premadasa, adding that it would be more meaningful for those intending to contest the Presidential Election to present their policies to the public themselves. 

Stating that several SJB MPs, such as Nalin Bandara and Harsha de Silva, have called for an open debate with NPP’s economic council members, he added that it was pointless as some of them had previously worked as policymakers under the United National Party and are now working in that capacity for the SJB. 

Meanwhile, responding to Handunnetti’s comments, SJB MP Nalin Bandara said Opposition Leader MP Sajith Premadasa was ready for a debate with NPP Leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake. 

He further said due to the prevalent economic issues in Sri Lanka, it would be more appropriate to hold a debate between the economic councils of the SJB and NPP first.

MP Nalin Bandara said that the SJB’s economic committee was ready for a debate with the NPP’s economic council. (NewsWire)

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The National Peoples Power (NPP) has challenged Opposition Leader MP Sajith Premadasa for a public debate, stating that it accepts the various calls for a debate proposed by Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) members. 

Addressing the media, NPP member Sunil Handunnetti said party Leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake was ready for a public debate with MP Premadasa. 

He further said several SJB MPs, such as Nalin Bandara and Harsha de Silva, have called for an open debate with NPP’s economic council members.

Stating that the NPP accepts the invitations for the debates, Handunnetti highlighted it was important for different political parties to engage in such debates to maintain the quality of national politics. 

However, Handunnetti said the NPP was more keen to hold a debate between the leaders of the NPP and SJB, keeping in mind the upcoming Presidential Election. 

Calling on the SJB to send a written invitation for the debate, Handunnetti said that it would be more meaningful for those intending to contest the Presidential Election to present their policies to the public themselves. 

Handunnetti also pointed out it was pointless engaging in debates with SJB members as some of them, such as Harsha de Silva, Eran Wickramaratne, and Kabeer Hashim, had worked as policymakers under the United National Party (UNP) and are now working in that capacity for the SJB. 

Stating that the NPP was prepared to allocate a time and pick a media forum to hold the debate, Handunnetti added that if MP Premadasa was unwilling to do so, other arrangements could be considered. (NewsWire)

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Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera has challenged National Peoples Power (NPP) Leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake for a debate on the latter’s allegations concerning power projects in Sri Lanka.

Addressing the Parliament yesterday, MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake raised concerns over the various power projects in Sri Lanka, including the recently approved solar power project in Kilinochchi.

Questioning why open tenders were not issued to the various power projects, such as fuel, coal, and solar power, MP Dissanayake also alleged major financial corruption concerning the newly approved 700 MW solar power plant at Poonakary Lake in Kilinochchi.

The NPP Leader called on Minister Kanchana Wijesekera to provide an explanation on the concerns raised in this regard. 

Responding to the MP, Minister Kanchana Wijesekera today challenged MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake for an open debate.

MP Dissanayake accepted the challenge stating that JVP member Wasantha Samarasinghe would represent him at the debate as the minister had previously levelled allegations against the latter as well.

Responding to MP Dissanayake, Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, however, said he would only participate in the debate if it is faced by MP Dissanayake.

The minister said he will not participate in a debate that is represented by Wasantha Samarasinghe and that he too could send in a trade union leader, adding that he wishes to face MP Dissanayake. (NewsWire)

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Party Leaders have taken a decision on the Parliamentary debates pertaining to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and the No- Confidence Motion against Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella. 

Leader of the House, Minister Susil Premajayantha stated that a single-day debate will be held on Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on August 24, 2023.

He further stated that the No- Confidence Motion submitted against Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella will be taken up for debate in the first week of September. 

Minister Premajayantha stated that the decisions were taken during the Party Leaders’ meeting held at the Parliamentary complex today. (NewsWire) 

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The Parliament session was adjourned for 10 minutes today due to a tense situation during the debate over the MV X-Press Pearl ship disaster. 

Parliament was adjourned after a heated exchange of words took place between Justice Minister WIjeyadasa Rajapakshe and MP Thushara Indunil over the matter.

Temporarily adjourning Parliament, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena also called for an urgent Party Leaders meeting. 

It is reported that the party leaders are expected to decide whether or not to take up for debate the MV X-Press Pearl ship disaster. (NewsWire)

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