3 January 2020 08:23 am
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will ceremoniously open the fourth session of the Eighth Parliament 10.00 a.m. today. The new Parliamentary session on the 3rd will commence with the arrival of the invitees at 9.00 a.m.
The arrival of the members of Parliament will take place first followed by the arrival of the Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Speaker Karu Jayasuriya and the Secretary-General of Parliament Mr. Dhammika Dasanayake will be welcoming President Rajapaksa at the main steps of the Parliament building followed by hoisting of the National flag by the former.
The students of Kotte Ananda Balika Vidyalaya will line up for the recital of Jayamangala Gatha at the main entrance of the Parliament Building.
President will be accompanied to the House of Parliament by the Serjeant-at-Arms, Deputy Serjeant-at-Arms, Assistant Serjeant-at-Arms followed by the Speaker and the Secretary-General of Parliament.
President will preside over the Ceremonial Sitting of Parliament and will address Parliament where he makes the Policy Statement of the new Government in Parliament as provided by Article 33 (2) of the Constitution. After his address, the President will suspend the Parliament until 1.00 p.m. on this day.
Sessions will resume at 1.00 p.m. today where the House will debate the policy statement. However, sources of the opposition said they will not call for a vote on the policy statement. (Yohan Perera)