The Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena was sworn in as the new Speaker of Parliament today (20) before Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake.
Leader of the House and Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena proposed Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena’s name for the post of Speaker, which was seconded by the Opposition MP and Secretary General of the Samagi Janabalavega, Hon. Ranjith Madduma Bandara.
They then escorted Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to the Speaker's chair. Then he was sworn in as the new Speaker of Parliament today (20) before Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake.
After the Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake presented the Proclamation sent by H.E the President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to convene the Parliament following which the new Speaker was elected.
A brief bio of the new Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena
Born on 10th October, 1945 in Makandura, Matara, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena is a senior politician with more than 30 years of experience. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena received his primary education from Thelijjavila Central College and Rahula College, Matara. He then obtained his first degree from the University of Colombo. He has also received specialized training in Management from the Institute of Management, Chandigarh in India.
He won the Hakmana by-election in 1983 and entered the Parliament for the first time representing the United National Party. He has been a Member of Parliament for 23 years. Mr. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, who contested from the Sri Lanka Podu Jana Peramuna for the Matara District in 2020 General Election, entered Parliament with 80,895 preferential votes.
He was the Chairman of the Southern Provincial Council during 1993/94 period and also served as the Chief Minister of the same Provincial Council from 1994 to 2001. He has also held a number of Ministries such as Health, Cultural Affairs and National Heritage, Irrigation and Rural Development, Industry and Commerce, Parliamentary Affairs and Agriculture.
He was also a member of the COPE Committee in 1987. Mr. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena has also attended the Asian Parliament for Peace in Beijing, China in 2002, attended the 50th CPA Conference in Dhaka, Bangladesh and the 2005 International Parliamentary Conference in Fiji.
2026-08-11
The Parliamentary business scheduled for the next sitting week, from 18 to 21 August 2026, has been decided.The decision was taken at the meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business held recently, (7 August), under the chairmanship of Hon. Speaker (Dr.) Jagath Wickramaratne. Accordingly, on each of the four sitting days, the period from 9.30 a.m. to 10.00 a.m. has been allocated for the Parliamentary business specified in Standing Order No. 22 (1) to (6). The period from 10.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. has been allocated for Questions for Oral Answers, while the period from 11.00 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. has been allocated for questions under Standing Order No. 27(2).Tuesday, 18 August 2026From 11.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., the House is scheduled to debate the Regulations published in Extraordinary Gazette No. 2496/38 under the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, for approval.Thereafter, at 5.00 p.m., the National Photographic Art Society of Sri Lanka (Incorporation) Bil, a Private Member’s Bill, is scheduled to be referred to the Legislative Standing Committee following its Second Reading.From 5.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m., an Adjournment Motion to be moved by the Opposition is scheduled to be taken up for debate.Wednesday, 19 August 2026From 11.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., the House is scheduled to debate a Resolution under the Finance Act. (Vide Item No. 3 scheduled for 18.08.2026 in the Addendum to the Order Book of Parliament, No. 4(4) issued on 07.08.2026).Thereafter, the period from 5.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. has been allocated for Questions at the Adjournment Time.Thursday, 20 August 2026From 11.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., the House is scheduled to hold the Second Reading Debate on the Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children (Amendment) Bill.Thereafter, from 5.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m., the Motion at the Adjournment Time to be moved by the Opposition is scheduled to be taken up for debate.Friday, 21 August 2026From 11.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., the House is scheduled to debate an Adjournment Motion to be moved by the Government.
2026-08-11
The Parliament of Sri Lanka is not only a place where the affairs of the nation are discussed and decisions are made. It is also a place where the younger generation can come, explore, learn, and experience democracy firsthand.Among the many beautiful sights often seen within the Parliament premises are the little ones—the young buds who will one day grow into the leaders of tomorrow. Surrounded by the beauty of Diyawanna Oya, they have the opportunity to see the Parliament with their own eyes and gain a new and memorable experience beyond what they learn from books.Every day, preschool and schoolchildren, university students, and visitors representing educational institutions from all corners of Sri Lanka come to Parliament to discover its work and heritage.These visits offer a special opportunity to transform textbook knowledge about the parliamentary system into a real-life experience. Beyond visiting the Chamber and the surrounding premises, visitors are introduced to the functions of Parliament, including the legislative process, in ways suited to their age groups and fields of study.Officers of the Public Outreach Section of the Department of Communication, together with other members of the Parliament staff, are committed to making these visits meaningful, informative, and engaging for every visitor.And there is much more to discover—the natural beauty surrounding Parliament, together with its outstanding architectural and artistic heritage, offers visitors a glimpse into the unique character and history of our Parliament.Visit… Experience … Discover… This is Your Parliament! Photographs:A group of children and teachers from Kiddie Cove Preschool and Day Care Centre during their visit to the Parliament of Sri Lanka on the 10th August 2026.
2026-08-07
Speaker holds discussions with representatives of the Max Planck Foundation at ParliamentPlans underway to convert the Speaker's Official Residence into Parliament's Tenth DepartmentHon. Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne held a special discussion yesterday (Aug. 06) with representatives of the Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and the Rule of Law at the Parliament premises on the next steps towards establishing the proposed Parliamentary Research and Studies Centre of the Parliament of Sri Lanka.Representing the Max Planck Foundation, which serves as a development partner to the Parliament of Sri Lanka, were Mr. Johannes Krusemark, Managing Director; Ms. Hayley Nicole Evans, Senior Research Officer; and Ms. Ruwini Perera, Legal Adviser.During the meeting, the Foundation formally presented to the Hon. Speaker a project proposal prepared for the establishment of the proposed Parliamentary Research and Studies Centre.Addressing the discussion, the Hon. Speaker stated that plans are underway to convert the Speaker's Official Residence into the proposed Parliamentary Research and Studies Centre and establish it as the tenth department of the Parliament of Sri Lanka.The Hon. Speaker emphasized that the principal objectives of establishing the Centre are to:• Provide training for all elected representatives, including Members of Parliament, Provincial Council Members and Local Government representatives, to strengthen their role as policymakers;• Provide opportunities for policy research and analysis;• Obtain public views on legislation enacted by Parliament and conduct post-legislative scrutiny to assess the effectiveness and practical impact of laws already enacted• facilitate the participation of researchers and members of the academic community in this process.The Hon. Speaker further observed that, in developing the proposal, further study should be undertaken of Parliamentary research institutions operating within the Lok Sabha of India and the Parliament of the United Kingdom at Westminster. He also expressed his appreciation to the Max Planck Foundation for its support as a resource partner in establishing the proposed institution.Representatives of the Max Planck Foundation stated that the Foundation stands ready to extend its fullest support towards the establishment of the proposed Parliamentary Research and Studies Centre.Mr. Jayalath Perera, Director of Legislative Services of the Parliament of Sri Lanka and Chairman of the Committee appointed for the project, stated that the Committee expects to finalize and submit its project proposal within the next two weeks. He further noted that the proposals and recommendations submitted by the Max Planck Foundation would be duly considered during that process and expressed his appreciation to the Foundation for its valuable contribution.The other members of the Committee are Ms. Kanthi Pieris, Director of Administration of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, and Mr. Sarath Kumara, Director of Finance of the Parliament of Sri Lanka.Mr. Chameera Gallage, Private Secretary to the Hon. Speaker, and Mr. Janaka Mahesh Athapaththu, Coordinating Secretary to the Hon. Speaker were also present at the meeting.
2026-08-06
The Animals (Amendment) Bill and the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (Amendment) Bill were passed in Parliament today (Aug. 06).The Second Reading debate on both Bills was held today from 11.45 a.m. to 5.40 p.m.The Animals (Amendment) Bill was presented to the Parliament of Sri Lanka for its First Reading by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation on 21 July 2026.The Bill proposes to extend the legal provisions that previously applied only to the transportation of cattle and buffaloes to several other categories of animals. Accordingly, it will be mandatory to obtain the relevant official permits when transporting pigs, sheep and goats. The primary objective of the amendment is to strengthen the control of the spread of zoonotic diseases - diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans.The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (Amendment) Bill was presented to the Parliament for its First Reading by the Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply on 21 July 2026.The Bill aims to enhance the institutional efficiency of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB), improve the management of water supply services, and expand the responsibilities of the Board.
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