The inaugural session of Sri Lanka's Tenth Parliament will officially take place on 21 November 2024 following the 2024 General Election which is set for 14 November.
The session will convene with 225 parliamentarians, comprising 196 elected members and 29 appointees from the national list, as outlined in the Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2403/13, issued by the President on 24 September 2024.
The Secretary-General of Parliament will oversee the initial proceedings, which will include the election of the Speaker. As per Article 64(1) of the Constitution and Standing Orders 4, 5, and 6, the Speaker will be elected by vote, and once elected, the Speaker will administer the oath of office. Following this, Members of Parliament will take their official affirmations or oaths.
In the subsequent stages, the Deputy Speaker and Deputy Chairperson of Committees will be nominated and elected. If no further nominations are made after the initial submissions, the nominated individuals will be elected unopposed. Should a vote be necessary, the procedure will be similar to the Speaker's election, though the voting will be conducted by the Speaker rather than the Secretary-General.
Once the elections and affirmations are completed, Parliament will be adjourned until the next scheduled session. However, in accordance with Article 33 of the Constitution, should the President address Parliament on the same day to present the government policy statement, the House will be temporarily suspended. Parliament will reconvene shortly after, with the President presiding over the session to present the government’s policy agenda for the upcoming term.
This event marks the beginning of a new parliamentary term, with expectations high for the direction Sri Lanka's legislative body will take following the recent election.
