Rethinking the Dress Code for Parliamentary Visitors

At present, visitors entering the Parliamentary gallery strictly on invitation are required to follow a dress code: ladies in saree and gentlemen in either the National Dress or a Lounge suit.
In contrast, the British Parliament — he mother of all Parliaments, whose traditions we often follow — sets a much more practical standard. There, the minimum dress code for  visitors is simply smart casual attire.
In our own context, insisting on sarees or lounge suits is not only restrictive but also socially insensitive. Income inequality is vast, and a large proportion of our people still live below the poverty line. For many, the cost of a lounge suit is prohibitive, creating an unnecessary barrier to accessing Parliament — a place that should symbolise representation for all.
Given our climate, our cultural and religious diversity, and the economic hardships faced by the majority, it would be far more reasonable to adopt a simple, convenient, and respectable dress code. Such an approach would maintain dignity while ensuring inclusivity, bringing us closer to the democratic traditions we have inherited.
Upali Weerasinghe