Maiden Session of 8th Parliament Today

10.11 AM : Party leaders are delivering their speeches the moment

9.58 AM : The bizarre Parliament you have now is very complex and because of that take decisions based on public requirement – requests Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Leader of JVP

9.45 AM : MP Nimal Siripala delivered a speech about the appointment of Mr Karu Jayasuriya as Speaker. 

9.43 AM : Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe in his speech made a request from the newly appointed Speaker Mr Karu Jaysuriya to act impartially. He also made an explanation of the future programs.


9.41 AM : Speaker Karu Jayasuriya was seated and ministers swore in front of the new Speaker. 

9.36 AM : Prime Minister proposed Mr Karu Jayasuriya as Speaker of 8th Parliament and it was seconded by MP Nimal Siripala De Silva.

8.00 AM : The First Sitting of the Eighth Parliament will commence at 9.30 a.m. today.

The Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake said, according to Parliament Standing Orders,  an MP elect for the new Parliament can sit anywhere inside the chambers until a Speaker is elected.

Parliament Secretary General Dasanayake told our news team that seating arrangements have not yet been finalized.

However seating have been already arranged for the President, the Prime Minister and the three ministers who have already been sworn in.

All MPs elect to be sworn in after a Speaker is elected for the new Parliament today.

Parliament Secretary General Dasanayake said that a Deputy Speaker and Deputy Chairman of Committees would be elected thereafter.

Later when house sits in the afternoon, President Maithripala Sirisena is to present the government’s policy statement to Parliament.