First sitting of the Constitutional Assembly was held on Tuesday the 5th of April 2016 in the Parliament Chamber.

The Hon. Karu Jayasuriya, the Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka presided over the first sitting of the Assembly. At the first sitting of the Constitutional Assembly seven (07) Deputy Chairmen were elected to preside over the Assembly meetings in the absence of the chairman.

A Steering Committee consisting of twenty one (21) members were appointed and the Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka was unanimously appointed as the Chairman of the Steering Committee.

The Constitutional Assembly was thereafter, adjourned sine die. Subsequently, the first meeting of the said Steering Committee was held in the Committee Room No. 3 of the Parliamentary Complex under the chairmanship of the Hon. Prime Minister.

Seven (07) elected Deputy Chairmen of the Assembly are as follows:-

1. Hon. Thilanga Sumathipala
2. Hon. Selvam Adaikkalanathan
3. Hon. Kabir Hashim
4. Hon. (Dr.) (Mrs.) Sudarshini Fernandopulle
5. Hon. Tilak Marapana
6. Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena
7. Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayathissa

Twenty One (21) Members appointed to the Steering Committee of the Assembly are as follows:-

1. Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe
2. Hon. Lakshman Kiriella
3. Hon. Nimal Siripala de Silva
4. Hon. Rauff Hakeem
5. Hon. (Dr.)Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe
6. Hon. A. D. Susil Premajayantha
7. Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen
8. Hon. Patali Champika Ranawaka
9. Hon. D. M. Swaminathan
10. Hon. Mano Ganesan
11. Hon. Malik Samarawickrama
12. Hon. Rajavarothiam Sampanthan
13. Hon. Anura Dissanayaka
14. Hon. Dilan Perera
15. Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena
16. Hon. (Dr.)Jayampathy Wickramaratne
17. Hon. M. A. Sumanthiran
18. Hon. (Dr.) (Mrs.)Thusitha Wijemanna
19. Hon. Bimal Rathnayake
20. Hon. Prasanna Ranatunga
21. Hon. Douglas Devananda

[Motion for Constitutional Assembly]