Business

A supplementary budget of Rs. 500 billion will be introduced in Parliament today, December 18, 2025, to help those whose lives have been disrupted by a recent disaster. Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya requested this meeting, and it follows the rules set out in Standing Order 16 of Parliament. According to Secretary-General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera, Parliament will meet today and tomorrow, December 19. This decision came during a Committee on Parliamentary Business meeting held yesterday, December 17, led by Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne. The session will start at 9:30 a.m. today, focusing on the Rs. 500 billion supplementary budget for 2026 aimed at supporting victims of the disaster. This budget will be presented and sent to the Committee on Public Finance. After that, there will be an Adjournment Debate proposed by the Government regarding the current situation in Sri Lanka due to the severe weather disaster, lasting until 5:30 p.m. Parliament will also meet tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. to discuss and potentially approve the supplementary budget. Additionally, on December 13, Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne announced in an Extraordinary Gazette that Parliament would gather today at 9:30 a.m., upon the Prime Minister's request.