2024-02-06
This statement is issued in the interest of the public, to set the record straight on the passing and the subsequent enactment of the ONLINE SAFETY ACT, No. 9 OF 2024. For the knowledge of the public, the process of enactment is explained from the beginning, to prevent being duped.
When a Bill is presented to the Parliament, there is opportunity to challenge it before the Supreme Court in accordance with the Article 121 of the Constitution. According to the provisions of the Constitution, after the Supreme Court considers them, the respective determination is submitted to the Speaker within three weeks. Thereafter, the Speaker should announce the respective determination in Parliament on the first day of the upcoming Parliamentary Sitting, and further order that the complete determination be published in the Hansard Report on the same day.
Following the above process, after presenting the Online Safety Bill to the Parliament on 03rd October 2023, the Speaker readout the Supreme Court determination to the Parliament on 07th November 2023, and ordered it to be published in the Hansard Report of the day. Thereafter, it became a public document that can be accessed by any interested party.
According to the determination of the Supreme Court, the relevant Ministry (in this case, the Ministry of Public Security) incorporates the proposed amendments with the aid of the Legal Draftsmen’s Department. The incorporation of these amendments is done by the party that presented the bill, to be consistent with the Constitution, as per the determination of the Supreme Court. The amendments are printed trilingual and distributed to all Members of Parliament in all three languages. The Online Safety Bill followed this same process, and the amendments were distributed to all Members of Parliament in all three languages on the morning of the 23rd of January 2024, which was the first day of debate in respect of the Second Reading of this Bill.
The Online Safety Bill was debated for two days, and the Committee Stage commenced on the second day, the 24th of January 2024, at 5:00 pm. According to the list of amendments given by the Ministry of Public Security, the Speaker presented each amendment to the House to be passed clause by clause. At that time, the Additional Solicitor General, who was representing the Attorney General in the official box reserved for government officials in the Parliament, informed the Speaker that all the mandatory amendments in accordance with the determination given by the Supreme Court had been included in the amendments at the time of the Committee Stage. Hon. M. A. Sumanthiran at this stage raised some concerns, and the Speaker requested the Additional Solicitor General to explain further in this regard to the Honorable member, to which the Additional Solicitor General obliged.
After the said amendments were presented and considered at the time of the Committee, the Online Safety Bill was duly passed in Parliament after the Third Reading, as is the process for any bill thus presented. At that time, the Attorney General also issued a certificate that these amendments are in accordance with the Constitution, as guided by the Supreme Court’s determination.
In this whole process, the Speaker has no role or authority to propose, accept or reject any amendment/s and/or recommendation/s suggested by any party including the Supreme Court, where the sole authority of such exercise is vested with the house of Parliament, i.e. its Members, often with majority vote.
The Speaker is bound by the Articles 79 and 80 of the Constitution to endorse the Certificate on a Bill once it has been duly passed. Accordingly, the Speaker endorsed the Certificate on the Online Safety Bill on 01st February 2024, making it the ONLINE SAFETY ACT, No. 9 OF 2024.
Thus, the office of the Speaker states that the Online Safety Bill was passed by the Parliament in accordance with the Supreme Court's determination, as was confirmed by the Attorney General’s Department. Since the legislative process of the Parliament takes place jointly with the Attorney General's Department and the Legal Draftsman's Department, there is no opportunity to act in a manner that is not in accordance with a Supreme Court determination regarding a Bill or in violation of the Constitution.
Though it is encouraging to see the improvement in conscience of some of the Members whose very conduct warranted Attorney General’s Department to be present in the final committee stage to ensure compliance with Supreme Court determinations (since the Provincial Councils Elections Amendment Act of 2017), if the members concerned could specifically mention what recommendations were ignored, the respective authorities may be able to respond to such allegations, since the Speaker has no discretion on such matters as explained above.
It’s regrettable that those who ought to know this process better are stating otherwise, and the insinuation that the Speaker can enact laws and make amendments to bills at his discretion is an insult to their own legal and constitutional knowledge.
Any Member of Parliament is welcome to come and peruse all the documents and the proceedings of the passing of the ONLINE SAFETY ACT, No. 9 OF 2024, and consult the officials that has the knowledge of the subject to understand things better.
The Speaker’s office would like to remind all Members again that discrediting the House or undermining its credibility will not do one better, as in a democracy, the parts are judged by the whole and not the other way around.
2026-10-27
The Parliament is scheduled to meet from 3 to 6 November.The parliamentary business for that week was decided at a meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business held recently (Oct. 23), under the chairmanship of the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Dr Jagath Wickramaratne.On each day that Parliament meets, the period from 9.30 a.m. to 10.00 a.m. has been allocated for parliamentary business listed under Standing Orders 22(1) to 22(6). The period from 10.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. has been allocated for Questions for Oral Answers, while the period from 11.00 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. has been allocated for Questions under Standing Order 27(2).On Tuesday, 3rd November, a debate was scheduled on the revised No-Confidence Motion to be submitted by the Opposition.On Wednesday, 4th November, from 11.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. the regulations published in Extraordinary Gazette No. 2508/27 under the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, together with a Supplementary Estimate, are scheduled to be debated for approval.Thereafter, the Motion at the Adjournment Time moved by the Government will be taken up for debate from 5.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.On Thursday, 5th November, it was also decided to hold a debate from 11.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. on an Adjournment Motion moved by the Government.On Friday, 6th November, time has been allocated from 11.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. for debates on the following Private Members’ Motions:Name of the Member ofParliamentTitle of the Private Member MotionHon. Chithral Fernando, Attorney at LawFormulation of a programme to increase train services on the Puttalam Railway LineHon. Lasith Bhashana GamageFormulation of a systematic methodology for the planting, scientific management, and maintenance of trees within road reservesHon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi, Attorney at LawConverting all Colleges of Education in Sri Lanka into University FacultiesHon. Ravindra BandaraIntroduction of a Smart Grid and Smart MetersHon. Rohana BandaraDesigning a programme to improve swimming skillsHon. Upul KithsiriDesignation of the Udawalawe Area as a Tourist ZoneHon. Hiruni Wijesunghe Attorney at LawFavourable control and suppression of the proliferation of common water hyacinthThereafter, the Motion at the Adjournment Time moved by the Opposition will be taken up for debate from 5.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.
2026-10-27
H.E Hamad bin Mohammed Al-Dosari, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, met with the Hon. Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, Speaker of Parliament, recently at the Parliament of Sri Lanka, reaffirming the longstanding friendship between the two countries and their shared commitment to further strengthening bilateral cooperation.The meeting underscored the longstanding friendship and enduring partnership between Qatar and Sri Lanka, as the two countries mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year, reaffirming their shared commitment to further strengthening bilateral cooperation and exploring new avenues of engagement for the mutual benefit of both nations.Welcoming the Ambassador, the Hon. Speaker underscored the strong and cordial relations between Qatar and Sri Lanka and highlighted the significance of continued high-level engagements in deepening bilateral ties. He recalled recent high-level visits between the two countries, noting their important contribution to strengthening mutual understanding and expanding avenues for cooperation.The Speaker also acknowledged the valuable contribution of the Sri Lankan workforce in Qatar, particularly its role in supporting Qatar’s development and contributing to Sri Lanka’s economy through remittances. He expressed appreciation for the support extended by the State of Qatar to Sri Lanka and emphasized the importance of further strengthening cooperation for the mutual benefit of both countries.Highlighting the role of parliamentary diplomacy in fostering closer international partnerships, the Hon. Speaker expressed Sri Lanka’s readiness to establish a Sri Lanka - Qatar Parliamentary Friendship Association. He noted that such an initiative would provide a meaningful platform for dialogue, the exchange of experiences and best practices, and closer engagement between the parliamentary institutions of the two countries.Ambassador Al-Dosari reaffirmed Qatar’s commitment to working closely with Sri Lanka as a trusted friend and partner, emphasizing the importance of further strengthening bilateral relations and promoting closer people-to-people connections. He also highlighted the potential for expanding cooperation in key sectors, including tourism, trade, investment and other areas of mutual interest.Both sides reiterated their shared commitment to exploring new opportunities for collaboration, strengthening existing partnerships and translating the longstanding friendship between Qatar and Sri Lanka into tangible benefits for their peoples. During the visit, Ambassador Al-Dosari expressed his appreciation for the architectural significance of the Parliament building and the natural beauty of its surrounding environment. He also participated in a guided tour of the Parliament premises.
2026-10-27
If society expects political leaders to be free from corruption and act with honesty, honesty and ethical values must also be upheld throughout society, stated the Hon.Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Rizvi Salih.He made these remarks while attending the inaugural session of the Student Parliament of Wellawatte Saiva Mangaiyar Vidyalayam as the Guest of Honour. The event was held recently at the Old Parliamentary Chamber of the Presidential Secretariat.Pointing out that the country’s political leaders are elected by society itself, the Deputy Speaker emphasised the importance of students, as future leaders, developing honesty, ethical values and a sense of responsibility from their school days.The programme was jointly organised by Wellawatte Saiva Mangaiyar Vidyalayam, the Presidential Secretariat and the Department of Communication of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, with the aim of providing the school’s female students with practical experience of parliamentary procedures.At the event, Senior Additional Secretary to the President (President’s Fund), Mr. Subash Roshan, explained the services provided to students and the general public through the President’s Fund.Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Law at the University of Colombo, Professor A. Sarveswaran, also participated in the event and educated the students on the Constitution of Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, Mr. T.N.M.P. Shahid, the principal officer of Parliament explained the role and functions of Parliament.The inaugural session of the Student Parliament commenced with the election of the Speaker and the swearing-in of student Members of Parliament. Thereafter, the student ministers presented their proposals to the House, outlining the programmes they hoped to implement within the school under their respective ministries.Certificates were awarded to the student Members of Parliament who participated in the programme by the distinguished guests. The vote of thanks was delivered by Mrs. Sindhuri Padmaraj, the teacher in charge of the Student Parliament at Wellawatte Saiva Mangaiyar Vidyalayam.This programme was conducted as part of the ongoing series of Student Parliament programmes jointly implemented by the Department of Communication of the Parliament of Sri Lanka and the Presidential Secretariat.The event was attended by Director General of Presidential Public Relations Mr. Dharmasiri Gamage and Assistant Director of the Presidential Secretariat Lieutenant Colonel Nadeeka Dangolla. Mrs. Malarvizhi Sreekumar, Deputy Principal, represented the Principal of Wellawatte Saiva Mangaiyar Vidyalayam, Mrs. Arundhathi Rajavijayan. Officials of the Department of Communication of Parliament, teachers, parents and students were also present.
2026-10-23
Of the Rs. 25,000 million allocated for the ‘Prajashakthi’ National Poverty Eradication Programme, Rs. 23,000 million has been allocated for projects identified by Community Development Councils at the district level, while the remaining Rs. 2,000 million is being utilised to implement medium-scale projects identified at the national level, according to a written response tabled in Parliament by Hon. Dr. Upali Pannilage, Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment.These details were revealed in the Minister’s response to questions raised by Hon. Ajith Gihan, Member of Parliament, seeking oral answers.According to the response tabled in Parliament, under the Prajashakthi National Programme, a total of 15,725 projects valued at Rs. 24,221.38 million have been initiated. Of these, 15,316 projects are being implemented under livelihood development, 273 projects under education, and 136 projects under health. Community Development Councils established at the Grama Niladhari Division level are responsible for identifying projects that directly address the multidimensional poverty identified in their respective districts and Divisional Secretariat Divisions. These projects are being implemented under several key areas, including the production economy, food security, social environment, human resource development, care and protection, supply networks, and accessibilityAll these projects are scheduled to be completed by 31 December 2026.Meanwhile, specialized projects for schoolchildren with disabilities are being implemented by the Department of Social Services and the National Secretariat for Persons with Disabilities. The Ministry of Education and other line ministries also provide financial assistance and other concessions to schoolchildren with disabilities.In addition, specialized projects, financial assistance, concessions and welfare programmes are being implemented to empower persons with disabilities and their families.
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