Parliament to debate emergency regulations on Monday

On Monday, the Parliament will take up for debate the proclamation made by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa bringing into force Emergency Regulations for the supply of essential items of food and related services.

The emergency regulations will be debated from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and passed the same day. This was decided at the Committee on Parliamentary Business chaired by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena which met yesterday.

The President declared the emergency regulations under the Public Security Ordinance on 30 August. It is mandatory to get parliamentary approval for the regulations within a month of such a declaration.

The emergency regulations have been declared in order to ensure public security, well-being and maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community in view of the prevailing emergency situation in Sri Lanka in the context of the COVID-19 pandemics.