PARLIAMENT

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.