2026-07-15
News Categories : News
The First Executive Committee Meeting of the Sri Lanka–South Africa Parliamentary Friendship Association was held recently (09) at Parliament under the chairmanship of the President of the Association, Hon. (Mrs) Saroja Savithri Paulraj, MP, Minister of Women and Child Affairs.
The meeting was attended by Ms. Nthabiseng Ramatshela, Chargé d'Affaires (Counsellor–Political) of the South African High Commission, who reaffirmed South Africa's commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing Parliamentary engagement between Sri Lanka and South Africa.
Delivering the welcome address, Hon. Saroja Savithri Paulraj emphasized that Parliamentary Friendship Associations serve as an important mechanism for strengthening bilateral relations through Parliamentary diplomacy. She noted that such associations provide Members of Parliament with a valuable platform to engage with their counterparts, exchange knowledge and experiences, and promote cooperation across a broad spectrum of mutually beneficial areas.
The President of the Association further stated that the First Executive committee meeting marked the commencement of the activities of the Sri Lanka–South Africa Parliamentary Friendship Association of the Tenth Parliament and represented another significant step towards strengthening the longstanding friendship between the two countries. She also recalled that since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1994, Sri Lanka and South Africa have continued to enjoy cordial relations founded on shared democratic values, peace, mutual respect, and sustainable development.
During the discussions, both sides underscored the importance of further strengthening Parliamentary and diplomatic relations through regular dialogue between legislators while promoting greater people-to-people engagement. Particular emphasis was placed on enhancing cooperation between women Parliamentarians of the two countries with a view to encouraging increased participation and leadership of women in political decision-making.
Trade and investment cooperation featured prominently during the discussions. Members observed that considerable untapped potential exists to expand bilateral trade in sectors including agriculture, mining, tourism, renewable energy, manufacturing, and other emerging industries. South Africa was identified as a strategic gateway to African markets, while Sri Lanka was recognized as an important gateway to South Asia and the Indian Ocean region. The South African side further expressed its intention to bring a business delegation to Sri Lanka in January next year following the invitation extended in connection with Expo 2027.
Recognizing the longstanding sporting ties between the two countries, members exchanged views on strengthening sports diplomacy through cricket and rugby. The meeting also explored opportunities to enhance cooperation in the fields of education and skills development, including university partnerships, scholarship opportunities, and academic exchanges.
The South African delegation expressed its readiness to share South Africa's experiences and lessons learned in reconciliation and nation-building in support of Sri Lanka's continuing efforts towards strengthening national unity.
The meeting concluded with an interactive discussion among the members of the Executive Committee, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by the Secretary of the Association, Hon. Sunil Rajapaksha, MP.
2026-08-18
The Hon. Speaker of Parliament Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne endorsed the certification today (18) on the Animals (Amendment) Bill and the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (Amendment) Bill.The Bill to amend the Animals Act, No. 29 of 1958 was presented to the Parliament of Sri Lanka for First Reading by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation on 21.07.2026 and was passed by Parliament on 06.08.2026.The primary objective of this amendment is to broaden the legal definition of the term “animal” in Section 38 of the principal Act. In addition, by redefining the term “animal”, the amendment ensures that goats, pigs and sheep are brought within the scope of the provisions of Part II of the Act. Further, the relevant definitions have been clarified in relation to Part IV of the Act to include sheep, goats, pigs and poultry.The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (Amendment) Bill was presented to Parliament for First Reading by the Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply on 21.07.2026 and was also passed by Parliament on 06.08.2026.The amendment modernizes the National Water Supply and Drainage Board Law, No. 24 of 1974, and strengthens the powers and functions of the Board relating to the provision of water supply and wastewater management services.The responsibilities of the Board have also been expanded to include water and wastewater management services in industrial estates, industrial parks and community-based organizations. In addition, the amendment makes provisions for expanding employee insurance schemes, technical services, training services, laboratory services and consultancy services to support more effective and sustainable water and wastewater management.Accordingly, the Animals (Amendment) Bill has been enacted as the Animals (Amendment) Act, No. 19 of 2026, while the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (Amendment) Bill has been enacted as the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (Amendment) Act, No. 20 of 2026.
2026-08-18
The Twenty-Second Amendment to the Constitution Bill, which includes provisions to extend the retirement age of judges of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, was presented to Parliament today (Aug. 18) for First Reading.The Bill was referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection, and provisions of the Constitution allow for the opinion of the Supreme Court to be sought in relation to the Bill.Accordingly, any party wishing to challenge the constitutionality of the Bill may file a petition before the Supreme Court within 14 days from the date on which the Bill was presented to Parliament.If such a petition is filed, the Supreme Court is required to consider the matter and communicate its determination to the Speaker within 21 days.Meanwhile, the Judicature (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to amend the Judicature Act, No. 2 of 1978, was also presented to Parliament today for First Reading. The Bill proposes to extend the retirement age of judges of the High Court, Magistrates’ Courts and all other courts.
2026-08-17
A programme aimed at educating students of the Sri Lanka Law College on the legislative process was held at Parliament.The programme included discussions on the legislative process, Parliamentary procedures and traditions, and other matters relating to the business of Parliament. A question-and-answer session was also held. Afterwards, the students took part in a tour of the Parliament premises, including the Chamber.At the request of the Human Rights Movement of the Sri Lanka Law College, the programme was organized by the Public Outreach Section of the Department of Communications of Parliament. Assistant Secretary General of Parliament Mr. Hansa Abeyratne, Director (Legislative Services) Mr. M. Jayalath Perera, Assistant Director (Administration) Mr. Kanchana Herath, and Assistant Director (Administration) Mr. Shantha Fernando participated in the programme.
2026-08-14
Parliament’s Official Website Also Wins Gold Award for Best Government WebsiteThe official website of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, www.parliament.lk, recently won the Overall Silver Award for the Best Website Overall at the “BestWeb.lk 2026” Awards Ceremony.It is also noteworthy that the Parliament’s official website won the Gold Award in the “Best Government Website” category.The “BestWeb.lk 2026” Awards Ceremony, organized by the LK Domain Registry, was held on 12 August 2026 at the Monarch Imperial in Sri Jayawardenepura.More than 350 websites competed this year across 24 categories. The websites were evaluated based on a range of criteria, including technical implementation, performance, design, content, security, and other additional features.The Parliament’s official website has previously won awards at this competition on several occasions. This year’s participation is particularly significant as it marked the website’s return to the competition after a seven-year hiatus, following the launch of its revamped website.A large gathering of distinguished guests, experts, academics, as well as award winners and representatives of nominated websites, attended the awards ceremony. Mr. G. Pradeep Saputhanthri, Secretary to the Prime Minister, participated as the Chief Guest.This recognition reaffirms the Parliament’s continued commitment to strengthening its digital presence and providing Parliamentary information to the public through its official online platform in an accessible, reliable, and user-friendly manner.
Handbook of Parliament
The System of Elections in Sri Lanka
How Parliament Works
Business of Parliament
Copyright © The Parliament of Sri Lanka.
All Rights Reserved.
Design & Developed by TekGeeks
