2026-06-11
News Categories : News
The Sri Lankan Parliamentary delegation, which participated in the Workshop for Members of Parliament of Sri Lanka in the People’s Republic of China, returned to Sri Lanka on 05th June 2026 upon the successful completion of its official programme.
The delegation, led by Hon. (Dr.) (Ms.) Kaushalya Ariyarathna, M.P., Deputy Minister of Mass Media, participated in the programme conducted by the International Cooperation Center of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China from 26th May to 04th June 2026.
During the course of the visit, the delegation participated in sessions conducted by senior Chinese academics, researchers, and officials on China’s governance framework, development strategy, democratic consultation mechanisms, and national policy direction.
The delegation also undertook official visits to key national institutions, including the National People’s Congress (NPC) Conference Hall and the Great Hall of the People. In addition, it attended a reception hosted by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Beijing on 29th May 2026 to mark International Tea Day, highlighting Sri Lanka’s rich tea heritage and its contribution to cultural and economic ties.
The programme continued in Shenzhen and later in Guangzhou, where the delegation visited institutions and development projects in the fields of smart infrastructure, advanced technology, communications, agriculture, and new energy industries.
The Workshop provided a valuable platform for enhancing parliamentary diplomacy, institutional exchange, and knowledge-sharing between Sri Lanka and the People’s Republic of China, further strengthening the longstanding friendly relations between the two countries.
2026-06-10
A programme to brief Hon. Members of Parliament on Sri Lanka’s current monetary policy, exchange rate policy and the country’s economic situation was held in Parliament today (10th June).The programme was conducted under the patronage of Hon. Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne. Resource persons included the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, together with a group of senior officials from the Central Bank.During the session, Members of Parliament were briefed on the current monetary policy in the country, the behavior of the exchange rate, economic stability and matters relating to the economic progress of Sri Lanka. Central Bank officials also responded to questions and comments raised by Members, providing clarifications and explanations.The event was attended by the Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees Hemali Weerasekara, Hon. Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, Hon. Members of Parliament and the Secretary General of Parliament (Ms.) Kushani Rohanadeera and several other officials.
2026-06-09
The Determination of the Supreme Court in respect of the Bill titled “Prevention of Money Laundering (Amendment)” which was challenged in the Supreme Court under Article 121(1) of the Constitution, was announced to Parliament today (Jun. 09) by the Hon. Speaker, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne.Accordingly, the Supreme Court has determined that the Bill may be passed by the simple majority of Parliament, except Clause 14 [proposed Section 12A(b)] and Clause 18 [proposed Sections 17A, 17B and 17C] which Clauses shall be passed by the special majority of Parliament. Furthermore, the Speaker informed Parliament that the Supreme Court has further determined that the said Clauses too can be passed by the simple majority of Parliament if they are amended as proposed by the Court.The Hon. Speaker also ordered that the Determination of the Supreme Court be printed in the official report of today's proceedings.
2026-06-08
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association of Parliamentary Interpreters (API) was held recently at Committee Room No. 02 of the Parliament of Sri Lanka.During the meeting, the following office bearers were elected to serve the Association for the year 2026: Mr. B.M. Razeel as President, Mr. M.I.M. Fazi as Vice President, Mr. M.T. Zainur Rifa as Treasurer, Mr. C. Manimaran as Secretary, and Miss D. Thulankani as Assistant Secretary. The Executive Committee comprises Mr. M. Mayureshan and Mrs. A.A.S. Safaya.Following the election, the newly elected office bearers posed for a group photograph with the Chief Parliamentary Interpreter, Mr. C.J. Karunarathna, Attorney-at-Law, and the Deputy Chief Parliamentary Interpreters, Mr. A.G.M. Fiqrhi, Mr. A. Saravanabavanandan and Mrs. N.B.C.J. Nissanga.
2026-06-04
The Hon. Speaker, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, yesterday (Jun. 03) endorsed the certificate on the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill.The Inland Revenue (Amendment) Act, No. 11 of 2026, which amends the Inland Revenue Act, No. 24 of 2017, was passed on 19 May 2026. The Act modernizes tax administration procedures, clarifies existing provisions, enhances tax compliance and enforcement, improves the accuracy of tax calculations and deductions, supports strategic economic objectives, and strengthens transparency and anti-money laundering measures.Key changes include the mandatory use of Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) certificates for certain significant financial transactions, several revisions to the calculation of income, greater clarity regarding tax exemptions for specific projects and businesses, and an expanded scope for the disclosure of information to relevant authorities.Accordingly, the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill comes into force as the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Act No. 11 of 2026.
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