Parliament prorogued by President

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has prorogued Parliament with effect from midnight yesterday (12).

The next session will commence on January 18, 2022.

Earlier, Parliamentary sessions were due to commence on January 11.

During the prorogation, the Speaker continues to function and the Members retain their membership even though they do not attend meetings of Parliament.

The effect of a prorogation is to suspend all current business before the House and all proceedings pending at the time are quashed except impeachments, according to the Parliament website..

 A Bill, motion or question of the same substance cannot be introduced for a second time during the same Session.  However, it could be carried forward at a subsequent Session after a prorogation.

“All matters which having been duly brought before Parliament, and have not been disposed of at the time of the prorogation of Parliament, may be proceeded with during the next Session,” states Paragraph (4) of Article 70 of the Constitution.

In the light of this constitutional provision, a prorogation does not put an end to pending Business.  Thus, a pending matter may be proceeded with from that stage onwards after the commencement of the new Session.  At the beginning of a new Session all items of Business which were in the Order Paper of Parliament need to be re-listed, if it is desired to continue with them.