President Ranil Wickremesinghe has decided to prorogue Parliament with effect from midnight.
According to the extraordinary gazette notification issued by Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake, the new Parliament session will begin at 10.30am on the 3rd of August.
The directive has been issued by the President in terms of powers vested in him through Article 70 of the Constitution.
On the 3rd of August, President Ranil Wickremesinghe will deliver his policy statement or the throne speech in Parliament.
Accordingly, it will mark the ceremonial opening of Parliament, following the appointment of Ranil Wickremesinghe as the eighth Executive President of Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, following the prorogation of Parliament, functions and activities of over 50 committees including special purpose committees such as the Committee on Public Enterprises and Committee on Public Accounts will come to an abrupt halt.
Members to such committees must be reappointed by Parliament next month.
The Committee on Parliamentary Business, Committee on Standing Orders and Legislative Standing Committee will also not function until Parliament convenes for the new session next month.
The first session of the ninth Parliament commenced on the 20th of August 2020 while it ended on the 12th of December 2021.
The last session of the ninth Parliament commenced following the prorogation on the 18th of January.
