2026-07-16
News Categories : News
H.E. Miyoon Lee, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Sri Lanka, called on the Hon. Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, at Parliament recently. The Secretary General of Parliament Ms. Kushani Rohanadeera was also present at this meeting.
Welcoming the Ambassador, the Hon. Speaker expressed his appreciation for the longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and the Republic of Korea and conveyed his gratitude for the support extended by the Republic of Korea during Sri Lanka's economic crisis, as well as for its continued assistance towards the country's development initiatives. He particularly acknowledged the valuable employment opportunities provided for Sri Lankan workers in the Republic of Korea, emphasizing their significant contribution to Sri Lanka's economy.
The Hon. Speaker also briefed the Ambassador on the Government's ongoing efforts to eradicate corruption and strengthen transparency and good governance. He emphasized the Government's commitment to advancing the national reconciliation process while fostering a peaceful and investment-friendly environment to attract foreign investment. The Hon. Speaker further highlighted the measures being taken to strengthen Sri Lanka's tourism sector and invited Korean investors to explore the country's growing investment opportunities.
Ambassador H.E. Miyoon Lee reaffirmed the Republic of Korea's readiness to continue supporting Sri Lanka by sharing its knowledge and expertise across various sectors. She also expressed Korea's willingness to extend cooperation in Sri Lanka's anti-corruption initiatives.
The Ambassador noted that the two countries will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations next year and expressed confidence that the milestone would further strengthen bilateral ties. In this regard, she also discussed plans to enhance Parliamentary exchanges between the two countries during the anniversary year.
The meeting concluded with a cordial discussion on the political and cultural backgrounds of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Korea, reaffirming the shared commitment of both countries to further deepen their longstanding friendship and cooperation.
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.
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