Parliament decides to continue its sittings

The Committee on Parliamentary Business has decided to proceed with the sittings of the House.

The committee arrived at this decision during a meeting chaired by Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena on Thursday (08).

Accordingly, the parliamentary sessions will continue as per usual from October 20 and three Regulations under the Sri Lanka Export Development Act will be taken up for debate at 10.00 am on that day.

The Adjournment debate by the Opposition is set to be taken up on the same day from 4.30 pm to 5.30 pm.

Regulations under the Medical Ordinance are to be taken up on the 21st of October.

The following day (October 22), the Adjournment debate by the Government on the prevailing health situation in the country is scheduled to be taken up from 10.00 am to 4.30 pm.

Further, Votes of Condolence on three late Members of Parliament – Surangani Ellawala, R.R.W. Rajapaksha and K.P. Silva, which was previously set for Friday (October 09), has been rescheduled for October 23.

Given that the Speaker announces the Supreme Court’s verdict on the 20th Amendment to the Constitution to the Parliament on October 20, the Committee members decided to meet again to make necessary changes to the order paper, the Communications Department of the House said.

Thursday’s meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business was attended by Chief Government Whip Minister Johnston Fernando, Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella and committee members Chamal Rajapaksa, Nimal Siripala, Prof. G.L. Peiris, Rauff Hakeem, Douglas Devananda, Dullas Alahapperuma, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, President’s Counsel Ali Sabry, Gayantha Karunatilleka, Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, Rishad Bathiudeen and M.A. Sumanthiran, as well as the Secretary-General and Deputy Secretary-General of Parliament.