The Parliament of Sri Lanka will convene at 9.30 a.m. this morning with the Government’s Policy Statement to be taken up for debate.
The policy statement, which was presented by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Parliament yesterday (20), will be taken up for debate as a motion presented by a Member.
A Vote on Account for next few months is to be presented to Members of Parliament today (21). The debate on the Vote on Account will be taken up on the 27th and 28th of August 2020.
Meanwhile, the Serjeant-at-Arms of the Parliament has informed the Commissioner General of Prisons to make arrangements for MP Premalal Jayasekere to attend the Parliamentary sittings as the Parliament will be meeting today (21) and 27th & 28th August 2020.
Ratnapura district MP Premalal Jayasekere, who was recently sentenced to death, didn’t attend the Parliamentary sittings yesterday (20).
The party leaders who met yesterday (20) under the chairmanship of the new Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena decided to hold sittings of Parliament today (21) and on the 27th and 28th of August respectively.
Accordingly, the Government Policy Statement presented by the President in Parliament yesterday (20) will be taken up for debate today (21) as a matter of priority for the Government, the Parliament’s Department of Communications said.
A Vote on Account will be presented by the government to bear the expenses for the period from September 01st until the relevant budget for the next year is passed. Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena says that the Vote on Account will be tabled in Parliament on August 27.
The party leaders came into agreement to have the Members of Parliament informed regarding the Vote on Account through the Order Book in accordance with section 27 of the Standing Orders.
Thereafter, the party leaders decided to convene Parliament on the 27th and 28th from 9.30 am to 6.30 pm continuing without suspending the Parliament for lunch.
Meanwhile, the Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa will make a special statement in Parliament regarding unemployed graduates today (21) in accordance with Standing Order 27 (2).
