Parliamentary sittings for this week will be limited to two days, Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake said. Parliament will convene on Tuesday, September 21 and Wednesday, September 22.
The decision was taken during the meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business chaired by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena. The Secretary General said that the Consumer Affairs Authority (Amendment) Bill Second Reading will be taken up for debate on September 22 as decided on at the Committee on Parliamentary Business.
It was also decided to conduct Parliamentary sittings this week only on September 21 and 22 taking into account the Covid-19 pandemic. Parliamentary sittings will be held on September 21 at 10.00 a.m. and time has been allotted to take up questions for oral answers from 10.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. From 11.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. a notification under Excise Ordinance, Five Orders under the Ports and Airports Development Levy Act, Six Orders under the Special Commodity Levy Act, Three Regulations under the Foreign Exchange Act, Order under the Foreign Exchange. Act, Regulation under the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, No. 1 of 1969 have also been scheduled to be taken up for debate. Time has also been allotted from 4.30 p.m. to 4.50 p.m. for Questions at the Adjournment Time and the Motion at the Adjournment Time by the Government will be from 4.50 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. On September 22, the Consumer Affairs Authority (Amendment) Bill and Regulations under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance are scheduled to be approved after debate. Time has been allotted from 4.30 p.m. to 4.50 p.m. for Questions at the Adjournment time and the Motion at the Adjournment time by the Opposition will be from 4.50 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. Though previously it was decided to set aside September 27 for questions for oral answers, it was decided to set aside October 4 as a special sitting day for questions and oral answers on the Covid-19 pandemic, the Secretary General of Parliament said.