Sri Lanka’s Parliament Prorogued by President Wickremesinghe, Sets Next Session for February 2024

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has officially prorogued the Parliament, initiating a temporary recess that will take effect from midnight today (January 26, 2024). This move, formalized through a Gazette Extraordinary, ushers in a hiatus for the nation’s legislative body until the commencement of the next session scheduled for February 7, 2024, at 10:30 am.

The decision was conveyed via a proclamation issued in the government gazette by President’s Secretary, Saman Ekanayake. The prorogation of Parliament is a constitutional mechanism allowing for a break in the legislative process, typically not exceeding a two-month duration.

According to the proclamation, the temporary break in Parliamentary proceeding adheres to Paragraph (3) of Article 70, which mandates the announcement of the next session’s initiation when Parliament is prorogued.