• Prorogation effective from midnight yesterday 
• Ceremonial opening of new session on 8 Feb.
• President to address House to coincide with 75th anniversary of independence 
• Slated to unveil plans to take country towards centenary celebrations

President Ranil Wickremesinghe prorogued Parliament last night and fixed 8 February for the opening of the new session of the House.

The prorogation will enable the ceremonial opening of a new session of Parliament during which the President will deliver the Government Policy Statement laying down a program for the next two and half decades, the President’s Office said.

The relevant Gazette notification was issued by the Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake.

The PO said Policy Statement will be delivered to coincide with the 75th anniversary of independence which falls on 4th February and lay down programs intended to take the country towards its centenary celebration of independence in 2048.

The Policy Statement will unveil new policies and laws to cover many areas and will cover the steps taken to bring about reconciliation since President Wickremesinghe took office in July  last year.

This is the second prorogation of the House by the current President. He prorogued Parliament in late July soon after taking office which was followed by a ceremonial opening of the house in August.

A prorogation is a temporary recess of the House and is traditionally followed by a ceremonial opening of a new session during which the Head of State delivers his Government’s Policy Statement.

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