Parliament to be prorogued on Thursday

The Parliamentary Affairs Committee led by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena announced that the fourth session of the ninth Parliament is scheduled to come to an end on Jan 24.

The Speaker confirmed that the official termination date will be confirmed through a gazette issued by the President.

Prior to being prorogued, parliamentary sessions are currently scheduled for Tuesday (23) and Wednesday (24), with Thursday (25) designated as a Poya day. The second reading of the controversial Online Safety Bill is set to take place on these two days.

After the conclusion of this term, more than fifty committees, including the Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) and the Committee on Public Accounts (CoPA) will cease to exist and will have to be reconstituted after prorogation.

The ceremonial opening of the new assembly term by President Ranil Wickremesinghe is set to take place on Feb 7. It is expected that Wickremesinghe will deliver a statement of Government policy at the commencement of the new Session.The third session of the ninth parliament concluded on Jan 27, 2023.