Sri Lanka President prorogues Parliament

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has prorogued parliament with effect from midnight today (28 July), via an extraordinary gazette.

Accordingly, the next session of Parliament will commence at 10.30 am on 03 August 2022 (Wednesday), according to the gazette notification. 

The President has prorogued by virtue of the powers vested in him by Article 70 of the Constitution of Sri Lanka.

With the signing of the gazette notification, the current session of the 9th Parliament marked its closure. 

Since 1947 the Parliament had been prorogued over fifty times and after the year 1978, more than 25 new parliamentary sessions had been held. 

Once the parliament is prorogued the speaker will continue and his duties will not end. Accordingly, the duty that has to be carried out from the new term will be able to proceed from the current stage.

When the term ends and a new session begin, it is ceremonially opened by the President. The President has the power to present Policy Statement of the Government. In the past it was known as the Throne Speech. It was presented by the Governor. According to the current practice, it is neither debated nor put to the vote.