The 10th Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka will officially convene for the first time on November 21, 2024. During this initial session, the main responsibilities will lie with the Secretary General of Parliament, who will oversee the proceedings.
In a notable move, there will be no specific seating allocations for the members on this day, allowing MPs to choose their seats freely. Parliamentary sessions will commence once the ceremonial mace is brought into the chamber, marking the beginning of the proceedings.
The first order of business will be the election of the new Speaker of Parliament. This will be followed by the traditional swearing-in ceremony of the Speaker. After that, MPs will also take their oaths to formally begin their duties.
In the recent 2024 General Election, the National People's Power (NPP) emerged as the clear winner, securing a total of 159 seats, including 18 National List seats. Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) followed with 40 seats, which includes 5 National List seats.
Other political parties also made their mark in the election. Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) won 8 seats, which includes 1 National List seat, while the New Democratic Front (NDF) secured 5 seats, including 2 National List seats.
The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) managed to secure 2 seats, with1 National List seat, and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) secured 3 seats, including 1 National List seat. Sarvajana Balaya also claimed a National List seat.
The United National Party (UNP), the Democratic Tamil National Alliance (DTNA), the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), the All Ceylon People's Congress (ACPC), and the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) each secured 1 seat in the 10th Parliament.
An independent group from Jaffna also managed to secure 1 seat, adding further diversity to the newly elected Parliament.
With the first session on November 21, Sri Lanka’s 10th Parliament is set to begin its work under the leadership of newly elected members.
