The ceremonial opening of the Fifth Session of the Ninth Parliament is scheduled to be presided over by President Ranil Wickremesinghe on 07 February (Wednesday).

The Legislative Services Department of the Parliament communicated this while announcing the business of the House of Parliament for the first sitting week of February 2024 as decided by political party leaders.

A special meeting of party leaders was convened earlier today (Feb.01), chaired by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

Sri Lanka Parliament was prorogued with effect from midnight on 26 January, marking the closure of the Fourth Session of the Ninth Parliament. The prorogation was communicated via a proclamation published in the government gazette by virtue of the powers vested in the President by Article 70 of the Constitution.

When a new session kicks off, the President has the opportunity to ceremonially declare open the Parliament and preside over to present the government’s policy statement. In the past, it was known as the Throne Speech and was presented by the Governor.

The adjournment debate on the government’s policy statement is scheduled to be held over two days, on Thursday (Feb.08) and Friday (Feb.09), from 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.

Meanwhile, the Resolution under the Essential Public Services Act is scheduled to be approved without a debate on 08 February, before continuing the adjournment debate on government’s policy statement.

When the Parliament is prorogued, the questions and motions that have not been considered by the Parliament until then are abolished, and the Members of Parliament thus have to take it up again in accordance with the Standing Orders.

In addition, all other committees except the Liaison Committee of Parliament, Committee on High Posts, Select Committees and Sectoral Oversight Committees, should be re-constituted following the beginning of the new session.

The first session of the Ninth Parliament was held from 20 August 2020 to 12 December 2021, and the second session from 18 January 2022 to 28 July 2022. The third session of the Ninth Parliament was held from 03 August 2022 to 27 January 2023. By the time the session ended midnight on 26 January, the Parliament had met for 106 days.