The ninth parliamentary term spanned 4 years, 1 month, and 4 days, beginning with the inaugural session on August 20, 2020, until its dissolution. During this period, the Parliament convened for 390 days across five sessions. Significant events during the ninth parliamentary term included constitutional amendments, the election of a successor president through a Parliamentary vote, the submission of no-confidence motion, the removal of a commission chairman/member through a resolution, and the suspension of the service of Parliamentarians due to disciplinary actions.
Accordingly, with the commencement of the ninth Parliament in 2020, the then Minister of Justice, Hon. M.U.M. Ali Sabry, presented the "Twentieth Constitutional Amendment" Bill to Parliament on September 22, 2020, aiming to amend the Constitution.
On October 21 and 22, following the debate pertaining to the second reading, the Bill was passed with a special majority. During the voting, 156 votes were cast in favor, and 65 votes were cast against the Bill. After the Committee Stage, the Bill's third reading was also passed by a special majority, with 156 votes in favor and 65 votes against. The Bill, with amendments, was subsequently approved. On October 29, 2020, following the Speaker's assent, the Twentieth Constitutional Amendment was officially enacted.
In 2022, following the resignation of President Hon. Gotabaya Rajapaksa due to the prevailing crisis, the Hon. Ranil Wickramasinghe, who was appointed as the eighth Executive President, formed a new cabinet. As part of this cabinet, the Hon. (Dr.) Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, PC, Minister of Justice, Prisons Affairs, and Constitutional Reforms, introduced the "Twenty-Second Constitutional Amendment" Bill to Parliament on August 10, 2022, to amend the Constitution.
Subsequently, during the debate pertaining to the second reading held on October 20 and 21, the Bill received 179 votes in favor and 1 vote against. During the Committee Stage, amendments were incorporated into the Bill in accordance with the Supreme Court ruling. During the vote for the third, 174 votes were cast in favor, and 1 vote against. Accordingly, the Bill was passed as the "Twenty-First Constitutional Amendment". On October 31, 2022, following the Speaker's assent and, the Twenty-First Constitutional Amendment was officially enacted.
No-confidence motion against the Hon. Udaya Gammanpila, Minister of Power
The no-confidence motion against the Hon. Udaya Gammanpila, Minister of Power, is considered the first no-confidence motion presented in the Ninth Parliament. It was submitted by 43 members of the opposition, including the Opposition Leader, Hon. Sajith Premadasa. The debate on this motion took place on July 19 and 20, 2021. During the subsequent vote, the motion received 61 votes in favor and 152 votes against, resulting in its defeat.
Resolution for the Removal of J.D.B.M.J.P.K. Ratnayake from Office
The resolution for the removal of J.D.B.M.J.P.K. Ratnayake from membership of the Sri Lanka Public Utilities Commission, as per the provisions of the Sri Lanka Public Utilities Commission Act No. 35 of 2002, was presented by Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena, Prime Minister and Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government Affairs. The debate on this resolution took place on May 24, 2023, during which the motion received 123 votes in favor and 77 votes against, resulting in the resolution being passed with a majority of 46 votes.
No-confidence motion against Hon. Keheliya Rambukwella, Minister of Health.
The no-confidence motion against the Hon. Keheliya Rambukwella, Minister of Health, was presented by 45 members of the opposition, including the Opposition Leader, Hon. Sajith Premadasa. The debate on this motion took place for three days, on September 6, 7, and 8, 2023. Following the debate, during the subsequent vote, 113 votes were cast against the motion, while 73 votes were in favor. As a result, the motion was defeated by a majority of 40 votes.
No-confidence motion against the Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana, Speaker
On March 19, 2024, the Opposition Leader, the Hon. Sajith Premadasa, along with 45 members representing the main opposition, presented a no-confidence motion against Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana, the Speaker of the Parliament. The debate on this motion took place on March 19, 20, and 21. At the conclusion of the debate, during the subsequent vote, 117 votes were cast against the motion, while only 75 votes were in favor. As a result, the no-confidence motion was defeated in Parliament by a majority of 42 votes. Following this, the Speaker made a special statement.
Amid the political crisis in the country, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigned from the presidency on July 14, 2022. Consequently, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, a Member of Parliament was elected to fill the vacant position. Until the said, Hon Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Prime Minister at the time, served as the acting President.
In this context, in terms of the Presidential Elections (Special Provisions) Act No. 2 of 1981, Parliament convened on July 19 to conduct the election. During this session, Hon Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister and acting President and Members of Parliament Hon. Dullas Alahapperuma, Hon. Anura Dissanayaka were nominated to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Accordingly, for the first time in Parliamentary history, a vote was held in Parliament to elect a President on July 20, 2022. During this voting, the Hon Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected as the eighth Executive President of the country by a majority. In this secret ballot held, Hon Ranil Wickremesinghe received 134 votes, while Hon. Dullas Alahapperuma received 82 votes and Hon. Anura Dissanayaka received 3 votes.
On August 23, 2023, due to a contentious situation arising from raising supplementary questions related to questions for oral answers in Parliament, Members of Parliament, Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha and Hon. Wasantha Yapabandara, caused clamour. Given the situation, Deputy Speaker Hon. Ajith Rajapakse temporarily suspended the parliamentary session for 10 minutes. Thereafter, the Speaker, Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana, who took the chair suspended Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha and Hon. Wasantha Yapabandara from the proceedings of that day.
Furthermore, on October 19, 2023, in light of a chaotic situation that arose during the questions for oral answers in Parliament, the Speaker, the Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana, announced that the service term of Hon. Ajith Mannapperuma, would be suspended for four weeks with effect from that day. This action was taken as touching the mace while placed in the bracket of the chamber is considered a serious disciplinary violation under Standing Order 77(3).
Meanwhile, on October 20, 2023, due to an incident reported to have occurred between Members of Parliament, Hon. Diana Gamage, Hon. K. Sujith Sanjaya Perera, and Hon. Rohana Bandara, their service term was suspended for one month, effective from December 2, 2023 by way of a motion moved in Parliament.
This motion was presented to Parliament on December 2, 2023, based on the recommendations made to Parliament after considering the matter by the Committee on Ethics and Privileges. During the voting, 57 votes were cast in favor of the proposal, while 1 vote was against it. Additionally, 3 members were recorded as abstaining from voting on the motion.
Additionally, on May 23, 2023, Member of Parliament Hon. Ali Sabri Raheem was involved in an incident related to the smuggling gold and mobile phones worth more than 70 million rupees into the country through the VIP terminal of the Bandaranaike International Airport at Katunayake. Based on the recommendations of the Committee on Ethics and Privileges, his parliamentary service was suspended for a month. The suspension was implemented through a motion in Parliament, citing his misconduct, which was deemed to violate the privileges of Parliament and Members of Parliament, in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order 118, effective from March 6, 2024, for a duration of one month.
2026-06-24
Hon. Minister of Environment, Dr. Dammika Patabendi, has been elected as the Chairman of the Sri Lanka–Bahrain Parliamentary Friendship Association for the Tenth Parliament.The meeting convened to establish the Association was held yesterday (Jun. 23) at Parliament under the patronage of the Hon. Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne. The Secretary General of Parliament, Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera, also attended the occasion.Hon. Member of Parliament Attorney-at-Law Sujeewa Senasinghe was elected as the Secretary of the Association, while Hon. Member of Parliament Attorney-at-Law Anushka Thilakaratne was elected as the Treasurer.Hon. Members of Parliament Kaveenthiran Kodeeswaran, Aboobucker Athambawa, Kader Masthan, and Hector Appuhamy were elected as Vice Chairpersons of the Association. Hon. Members of Parliament Dr. Elayathamby Srinath and Lal Premanath were elected as Assistant Secretaries.Addressing the gathering, Hon. Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne noted that diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the Kingdom of Bahrain, established in 1992, have continued to grow across political, economic, and cultural spheres. He further stated that the Sri Lankan community residing in Bahrain serves as an important bridge strengthening ties between the two countries.The Speaker also emphasized that the Parliamentary Friendship Association would provide an important platform for further enhancing Parliamentary dialogue and cooperation between the two nations. He stressed that in the face of global challenges, continuous engagement and dialogue are essential, rather than isolation. Highlighting the importance of further strengthening diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Bahrain, the newly elected Chairman stated that active Parliamentary engagement is necessary to expand bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, and tourism. He noted that the Friendship Association would play a significant role in promoting the welfare of the Sri Lankan community in Bahrain as well as contributing to the economic development of both countries. He also affirmed his commitment to working towards achieving these shared objectives.The Secretary of the Sri Lanka–Bahrain Parliamentary Friendship Association also underscored the importance of parliamentary-level cooperation in further strengthening bilateral relations. He pointed out that meetings of this nature provide valuable opportunities to foster friendship, mutual understanding, and collaboration between the two countries.Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Members of Parliament, and Parliamentary officials attended the meeting.
2026-06-24
The Hon. Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne stated that the Parliament of Sri Lanka will provide the fullest possible support to ensure that the National Commission on Women, established as an independent commission, functions independently and effectively. The Hon. Speaker made these remarks when he met with the Chairperson of the Commission, Ms. Grace Asirwatham, and its members yesterday (Jun. 23) at the Parliamentary Complex.During the meeting, the Speaker extended his warm congratulations to the newly appointed members of this independent commission, which was established for the first time in Sri Lanka by the Tenth Parliament.The Speaker further noted that the National Commission on Women has been entrusted with a significant and responsible mandate on behalf of women, who constitute 51 percent of Sri Lanka’s population.He also pointed out that Sri Lanka is the country that produced the world’s first female Prime Minister and that, compared to other countries in South Asia, women in Sri Lanka have made considerable progress in advancing within society. Therefore, he emphasized that the National Commission on Women must work towards further empowering women in Sri Lanka by making sound and independent decisions.The two parties also discussed the current administrative and infrastructural challenges faced by the National Commission on Women, as well as its future activities.The meeting was attended by the Secretary General of Parliament, Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera, Members of the National Commission on Women, Ms. Shreen Saroor, Ms. Janaha Selvaras, Ms. Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala, Dr. Padma Gunaratne, Dr. Kalana Senaratne, and the Executive Director of the Commission, Ms. K.D.R. Olga.
2026-06-24
The Student Parliament serves as a unique platform for students not only to focus on academic subjects but also to demonstrate and develop leadership qualities, teamwork, and decision-making skills, emphasized, Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees of the Parliament of Sri Lanka Hemali Weerasekara.She made these remarks while attending, as the Chief Guest, the inaugural sitting of the Student Parliament of Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, Colombo 07, held recently at the historic Old Parliament Chamber located within the Presidential Secretariat.The Deputy Chairperson highlighted the responsibility of children in building a society enriched with spiritual development and positive values amid rapid technological advancement. She also pointed out that Student Parliaments can serve as forums for proposing innovative solutions to national challenges such as poverty alleviation, energy conservation and educational reforms.Addressing the gathering, Senior Advisor to the President on Science and Technology Prof. Gomika Udugamasooriya, stressed the importance of transforming knowledge into understanding. He explained that research is a process that assists in making informed decisions in everyday life and emphasized the value of nurturing curiosity and analytical thinking among students while applying knowledge in practical ways.Senior Additional Secretary to the President, Mr. Roshan Gamage, provided an overview of the services offered by the President's Fund to students and the general public. Director General of Public Relations to the President, Mr. Dharmasiri Gamage, addressed the student parliamentarians and underscored the importance of becoming disciplined citizens with strong leadership qualities and compassion for others.Students were also briefed on the structure, functions, and Parliamentary procedures of the Parliament of Sri Lanka by Deputy Director (Administration) of Parliament, Ms. Chintha Madhubhashini Bulathsinhala. The inaugural session of the Student Parliament commenced with the election of the Speaker and the swearing-in of Members. Students holding ministerial portfolios presented programmes and development proposals they intend to implement within the school through their respective ministries.Certificates were presented to the members of the Student Parliament by the Deputy Chairperson of Committees and other distinguished guests. During the event, Principal of Ananda College, Colombo, Mr. D.M. Lal Dissanayake, who attended representing an invited school, extended his congratulations to the student Parliamentarians. At the conclusion of the programme, , Principal of Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, Dr. Sumeda Jayaweera, delivered the vote of thanks.The programme was jointly organized by Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, the Presidential Secretariat, and the Department of Communication of the Parliament of Sri Lanka with the objective of providing students of the school with practical exposure to parliamentary affairs and a better understanding of democratic governance.This event marked another successful milestone in the Student Parliament programme jointly conducted by the Presidential Secretariat and the Department of Communication of Parliament. Among those present were Director of the Tri-Forces Coordination Unit of the Presidential Secretariat Air Commodore Asiri Gallage; Assistant Director Lieutenant Colonel Nadeeka Dangolla; Director (Communication) of Parliament Mr. Samantha Mallawaarachchi; members of the teaching staff of Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya; parents and students.Student Parliament Provides a Unique Platform for Developing Children's Leadership Skills – Deputy Chairperson of Committees EmphasizesThe Student Parliament serves as a unique platform for students not only to focus on academic subjects but also to demonstrate and develop leadership qualities, teamwork, and decision-making skills, emphasized, Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees of the Parliament of Sri Lanka Hemali Weerasekara.She made these remarks while attending, as the Chief Guest, the inaugural sitting of the Student Parliament of Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, Colombo 07, held recently at the historic Old Parliament Chamber located within the Presidential Secretariat.The Deputy Chairperson highlighted the responsibility of children in building a society enriched with spiritual development and positive values amid rapid technological advancement. She also pointed out that Student Parliaments can serve as forums for proposing innovative solutions to national challenges such as poverty alleviation, energy conservation and educational reforms.Addressing the gathering, Senior Advisor to the President on Science and Technology Prof. Gomika Udugamasooriya, stressed the importance of transforming knowledge into understanding. He explained that research is a process that assists in making informed decisions in everyday life and emphasized the value of nurturing curiosity and analytical thinking among students while applying knowledge in practical ways.Senior Additional Secretary to the President, Mr. Roshan Gamage, provided an overview of the services offered by the President's Fund to students and the general public. Director General of Public Relations to the President, Mr. Dharmasiri Gamage, addressed the student parliamentarians and underscored the importance of becoming disciplined citizens with strong leadership qualities and compassion for others.Students were also briefed on the structure, functions, and Parliamentary procedures of the Parliament of Sri Lanka by Deputy Director (Administration) of Parliament, Ms. Chintha Madhubhashini Bulathsinhala. The inaugural session of the Student Parliament commenced with the election of the Speaker and the swearing-in of Members. Students holding ministerial portfolios presented programmes and development proposals they intend to implement within the school through their respective ministries.Certificates were presented to the members of the Student Parliament by the Deputy Chairperson of Committees and other distinguished guests. During the event, Principal of Ananda College, Colombo, Mr. D.M. Lal Dissanayake, who attended representing an invited school, extended his congratulations to the student Parliamentarians. At the conclusion of the programme, , Principal of Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, Dr. Sumeda Jayaweera, delivered the vote of thanks.The programme was jointly organized by Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, the Presidential Secretariat, and the Department of Communication of the Parliament of Sri Lanka with the objective of providing students of the school with practical exposure to parliamentary affairs and a better understanding of democratic governance.This event marked another successful milestone in the Student Parliament programme jointly conducted by the Presidential Secretariat and the Department of Communication of Parliament. Among those present were Director of the Tri-Forces Coordination Unit of the Presidential Secretariat Air Commodore Asiri Gallage; Assistant Director Lieutenant Colonel Nadeeka Dangolla; Director (Communication) of Parliament Mr. Samantha Mallawaarachchi; members of the teaching staff of Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya; parents and students.
2026-06-19
A Parliamentary delegation from Sri Lanka, headed by Hon. (Dr.) Nishantha Samaraweera, Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), undertook an official visit to the United Kingdom to participate in the UK–Sri Lanka Parliamentary Programme (Sri Lanka Committee Visit to Westminster), jointly organized by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK Branch (CPA UK) and the Parliament of Sri Lanka (CPA Sri Lanka Branch), from 16th to 18th June 2026.The delegation comprised Hon. Members of Parliament Gayantha Karunathilleka, S.M. Marikkar, (Dr.) Jagath Gunawardana, (Mrs.) Thushari Jayasingha, Attorney-at-Law, Kanthasamy Prabu, Danushka Ranganath, Ruwan Wijeweera, Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera, Secretary-General of Parliament, and Mr. Kushan Sampath Jayarathna, Serjeant-at-Arms. The programme, conducted at the UK Parliament in Westminster, aimed to strengthen cooperation and collaboration between the Parliament of Sri Lanka and the UK Parliament while promoting the exchange of knowledge, experiences and best practices in Parliamentary procedures and governance.Throughout the programme, the delegation participated in a series of discussions, observations and interactive sessions focusing on a broad range of Parliamentary subjects, including comparative Parliamentary systems, committee structures and oversight mechanisms, legislative and post-legislative scrutiny, Parliamentary standards and privileges, financial scrutiny, public accountability, Parliamentary modernization and public engagement.The programme also provided opportunities for delegates to gain first-hand exposure to Parliamentary practices in the United Kingdom through observation of committee proceedings and Parliamentary sessions, including Prime Minister’s Questions. Delegates also engaged with Members of the House of Commons, Members of the House of Lords, senior officials, and experts representing various Parliamentary institutions and organizations.Further discussions under the programme included the role of Select Committees in ensuring effective oversight, strengthening financial accountability through Public Accounts Committees and related institutions, the role of Parliamentary outreach in enhancing public participation and trust, and initiatives relating to diversity, inclusion and women’s representation in Parliamentary processes.The delegation also held discussions with representatives of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) and members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Sri Lanka, providing opportunities to exchange views on Parliamentary strengthening initiatives and explore future avenues for cooperation. In addition, the delegation met with Mr. Stephen Twigg, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), and officials of the CPA Headquarters to discuss their ongoing work with the Parliament of Sri Lanka and explore potential future engagements.During the visit, the delegation also received the support and assistance of the Sri Lanka High Commission in the United Kingdom, with the High Commissioner H. E. Nimal Senadheera and officials of the Mission engaging with the delegation and facilitating aspects of the programme and related arrangements.The programme further strengthened the longstanding relationship between the Parliament of Sri Lanka and the UK Parliament while enhancing the knowledge and expertise of Members of Parliament and Parliamentary officials in promoting effective Parliamentary practices, democratic governance and institutional development.
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