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December 09, 2025

Annual reports and financial reports of several institutions coming under the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education considered at the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital

Annual reports and financial reports of several universities and higher education institutions coming under the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education were considered at the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital.This was taken into consideration when the Committee met recently (Nov. 26) at Parliament under the Chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament Hesha Withanage.Accordingly, at the meeting of the Committee held, the Annual Reports of the Sri Lanka Maritime University for the years 2022 and 2023, the Annual Reports of the Sri Lanka Institute of Advanced Technological Education for the years 2022 and 2023, the Annual Reports of The Open University of Sri Lanka for the years 2022 and 2023, the Annual Reports of the University of the Visual and Performing Arts for the years 2022 and 2023, and the Annual Report and Accounts Report of the Postgraduate Institute of English of The Open University of Sri Lanka for the year 2023 were considered and approved.Further, matters relating to the recruitment of Development Officers serving in schools to the Teacher Service, as well as issues concerning the recruitment of Principals, were also discussed at the Committee.Hon. Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, Hon. Members of Parliament (Dr.) V.S. Radhakrishnan, Rohini Kumari Wijerathna, Aboobucker Athambawa, Thurairasa Ravikaran, and Sunil Rajapaksha, along with a group of officials, were among those who participated on this occasion.

December 09, 2025

Annual reports and financial reports of several institutions coming under the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education considered at the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital

Annual reports and financial reports of several universities and higher education institutions coming under the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education were considered at the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital.This was taken into consideration when the Committee met recently (Nov. 26) at Parliament under the Chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament Hesha Withanage.Accordingly, at the meeting of the Committee held, the Annual Reports of the Sri Lanka Maritime University for the years 2022 and 2023, the Annual Reports of the Sri Lanka Institute of Advanced Technological Education for the years 2022 and 2023, the Annual Reports of The Open University of Sri Lanka for the years 2022 and 2023, the Annual Reports of the University of the Visual and Performing Arts for the years 2022 and 2023, and the Annual Report and Accounts Report of the Postgraduate Institute of English of The Open University of Sri Lanka for the year 2023 were considered and approved.Further, matters relating to the recruitment of Development Officers serving in schools to the Teacher Service, as well as issues concerning the recruitment of Principals, were also discussed at the Committee.Hon. Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, Hon. Members of Parliament (Dr.) V.S. Radhakrishnan, Rohini Kumari Wijerathna, Aboobucker Athambawa, Thurairasa Ravikaran, and Sunil Rajapaksha, along with a group of officials, were among those who participated on this occasion.

December 09, 2025

Committee on Public Finance Reviews and approves NMRA Regulations, National Audit Office Work Programme for 2026, and Final Report on the Appropriation Bill

A special Committee meeting to consider Regulations under Section 71 of the Value Added Tax Act, No. 14 of 2002The Committee on Public Finance (COPF) which met on 03 December 2025, considered several important matters, including the regulations issued under the National Medicines Regulatory Authority Act, No. 05 of 2015, published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 2452/39 of 04 September 2025, the Annual Work Programme for 2026 of the National Audit Office, and the Final Report prepared under Standing Order 121(5)(ii) on the Appropriation Bill for the financial year 2026. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Dr. Harsha de Silva, Hon. Member of Parliament.During the discussion on the NMRA regulations, the Committee recommended enhancing system transparency and visibility in the medicine registration process. Accordingly, the Regulations under the National Medicines Regulatory Authority Act, No. 05 of 2015 published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2452/39 was approved by the Committee following consideration.The Committee also considered the 2026 Annual Work Programme of the National Audit Office. According to the Programme, 3,508 audits will be carried out in 2026. These include 3,484 Financial Audits, 11 Performance Audits, 1 Environmental Audit, 12 Special AuditsAs presented, audits of Samurdhi Community-Based Banks and Samurdhi Community-Based Bank Societies have been newly assigned to the Auditor General from 2026 onwards. The Committee raised concerns regarding the staff capacity required to carry out the Samurdhi audits. The acting Auditor General stated that an additional 10%–15% staff would be required beyond the current cadre. He further informed the Committee that pilot audits are being conducted through regional offices and will continue until the end of February, after which the actual capacity requirements whether through recruitment or outsourcing will be determined.It was further noted that the annual work Programme will be forwarded to Parliament, as provided for in the Audit Act, which requires that any review or recommendation be submitted to the Speaker and the relevant authorities. Followed by extensive discussion, the Committee agreed to make an observation to the Speaker that it supports the possible outsourcing of the additional Samurdhi-related audit work, subject to the Auditor General’s evaluation. Accordingly, the Committee directed the National Audit Office to do a pilot project and report back to the Committee by the end of February 2026.In addition, COPF deliberated on the Final Report prepared under Standing Order 121(5)(ii) relating to the Appropriation Bill for the financial year 2026. The report reflected the Committee’s observations and recommendations following its review of ministerial budget proposals and financial allocations for the upcoming year.In extension, the Committee on Public Finance, under the Chairmanship of Dr. Harsha de Silva, Hon. Member of Parliament also conducted a special meeting today, 05th December 2025 to consider the Resolution for the provision of allocations for restoration of the disrupted lives of the people affected by the emergency disaster situation through a supplementary estimate. This resolves that, an additional sum not exceeding Rupees Fifty Thousand Million (Rs. 50,000,000,000) shall be payable out of the Consolidated Fund of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka or any other fund or finances possessed by the Government or any loan obtained by the Government at the discretion of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, for the services of the financial year commencing on January 01, 2025 and ending on December 31, 2025 and the manner that, the said sum may be expended.Moreover, Regulations under Section 71 of the Value Added Tax Act, No. 14 of 2002 published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2460/44 which was also approved following consideration. Hon. Members of Parliament who are Members of the Committee on Public Finance were present at these Committee meetings held.

December 05, 2025

2026 Appropriation Bill passed in Parliament with a majority

Speaker endorses the Appropriation BillThree other Bills also passed in ParliamentThe Appropriation Bill for the year 2026 (Budget) was passed in Parliament today (Dec. 05) with a majority vote.The vote on the third reading of the Appropriation Bill commenced at 7.30 p.m. The Bill received 158 votes in favour and 1 vote against, and 2 MPs abstained from voting. Accordingly, the Appropriation Bill was passed with a majority of 157 votes.The second reading of the Appropriation Bill for 2026, commonly known as the Budget Speech, was presented to Parliament by Hon. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his capacity as Minister of Finance, on 07th November 2025. The debate on the second reading was held for six days, from 08th  to 14th November, following which the second reading was passed in Parliament on 14th November with a majority of 118 votes.The Committee Stage debate on the Appropriation Bill was then held for 14 days, from 15 November until today (05). Although the debate was originally scheduled to span 17 days, the number of days was reduced due to the adverse weather conditions and resulting disaster situation experienced in the country.Owing to this situation, several Ministerial Expenditure Heads scheduled for debate on previous days could not be taken up as planned. Therefore, in addition to the Expenditure Head of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, the Budget Heads of the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, and the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development were debated on 03rd  December and today, and were passed with amendments.Meanwhile, the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. (Dr.) Jagath Wickramaratne, today endorsed the certificate on the Appropriation Bill for the financial year 2026, in accordance with Article 79 of the Constitution. Accordingly, the Appropriation Bill shall come into force as the Appropriation Act No. 23 of 2025.In addition, three Amendment Bills, the Social Security Contribution Levy (Amendment), the Betting and Gaming Levy (Amendment), and the Strategic Development Projects (Amendment) Bills were also passed in Parliament today without debate. Parliamentary approval was also granted for the Resolution under the Public Security Ordinance and the Resolution under the Essential Public Services Act. Furthermore, three Supplementary Estimates were approved today in Parliament.

December 05, 2025

The Committee on Public Finance approves a Bill and six Gazettes

Approval of the Committee on Public Finance has been granted for a Bill and six Gazette Extraordinary notifications.These approvals were granted at the meeting of the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) held in Parliament on 02.12.2025, chaired by Hon. Member of Parliament Dr. Harsha de Silva.Accordingly, after extensive discussion, the Strategic Development Project (Amendment) Bill received the approval of the Committee on Public Finance.Moreover, approval of the Committee was granted for the Regulations issued under the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, No. 1 of 1969, published in the Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2459/46, and for the Regulation under Section 6 of the Value Added Tax Act, No. 14 of 2002, published in the Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2461/43.Approval of the Committee was also given for the Resolutions under the Revenue Protection Act No. 19 of 1962, published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2457/06 and Gazette Extraordinary No. 2461/40.In addition, approval of the Committee was granted for the Order under Section 3 of the Ports and Airports Development Levy Act, No. 18 of 2011, published in the Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2461/44, and for the Order under Sections 2 and 3 of the Special Commodity Tax Act No. 48 of 2007, published in Gazette Notification No. 2457/05.Hon. Deputy Ministers Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Nishantha Jayaweera, and Hon. Member of Parliament Ravi Karunanayake, among others, participated in this meeting.



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