In 1931 under the Donoughmore Constitution the State Council of Ceylon was established and in it the first office of a Speaker of a legislative body was created as the Speaker of the State Council.
In 1947, according to the recommendations of the Soulbury Commission the State Council was dissolved and a Parliament was established in the Westminster model with an upper house, the Senate and the House of Representatives. While the head of the President of the Senate became the head of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives became the presiding officer of the House of Representatives. The office of the Speaker, as it exists now, was established in 1947, with the opening of the First Parliament of Ceylon on 4 February 1948, granting of independence and the establishment of the Dominion of Ceylon.
Duties and powers
The Speaker presides over the House's debates, determining which members may speak. The Speaker is also responsible for maintaining order during debate, and may punish members who break the rules of the House. The Speaker remains strictly non-partisan, and renounces all affiliation with his or her former political party when taking office for the duration of his term. The Speaker does not take part in debate or vote (except to break ties). Apart from duties relating to presiding over the House, the Speaker also performs administrative and procedural functions, and remains a constituency Member of Parliament (MP). The Speaker would be a chairmen of the constitutional council. The Speaker may accept the resignation of the president. The chief justice in consultation with the Speaker may determine that the president is temporarily unable to exercise, perform and discharge the powers, duties and functions and appoint the prime minister as acting president.[3]
Appointment
As per the Article 64 of the Constitution when Parliament first meets after a general election, it will elect three members to serve as the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees (known simply as the Deputy Speaker) and the Deputy Chairman of Committees. The Speaker would vacate his office only if he tenders his resignation to the President or ceases to be a Member of Parliament or when Parliament dissolved.[3]
The Speaker is assisted by two deputies, all of whom are elected by the House. These are Deputy Speaker and the Deputy Chairman of Committees. In the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker or in their absence the Deputy Chairman of Committees, shall preside at sittings of Parliament. If none of them is present, a Member elected by Parliament for the sitting shall preside at the sitting of Parliament.[3]
Precedence, salary, residence and privileges
The Speaker's official residence in Kotte
The Speaker is the third highest-ranking official in Sri Lanka. At present, Speaker ranks in the order of precedence after the President and Prime Minister. From 1948 to 1971 (when the Senate was abolished) the Speaker ranked fifth in the precedence after the Governor-General, the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice and the President of the Senate. From 1971 to 1978, the Speaker ranked fourth in the precedence after the Governor-General/President, the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice. After the second amendment to the Republican Constitution in 1978, in which the Speaker was placed second in the presidential line of succession; the Speaker gained his current position in the order of precedence.[3]
In 2016, the Speaker received a salary of 68,500 Sri Lankan rupees per month and other entitlements of a Member of Parliament.[4] In addition, the Speaker can use the Speaker's Residence and entitled to transport and security arranged by the Parliamentary Secretariat. At each sitting of parliament, the Speaker (or the presiding officer) travels in to the chamber in procession, after the Sergeant-at-Arms carrying the ceremonial mace that symbolises the authority of the Parliament. Sergeant-at-Arms attends the Speaker on other occasions. The Speaker has his office in the Parliament Complex and the Secretary-General of Parliament, who is in charge of the administrative duties of Parliament reports to the Speaker.[3]
Official dress
Chamal Rajapaksa, in the Speaker's ceremonial robes, mourning rosette and full bottomed wig
On ceremonial sittings or occasions, the Speaker wears a robe of black satin damask trimmed with gold lace, a mourning rosette (also known as a 'wig bag') and frogs with full bottomed wig. On normal sitting days, the Speaker wears only the robe and rosette without the wig or in certain cases without the official dress. This practice was adopted from the official dress of the Speaker of the House of Commons.
Speaker of the Seventh Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
April 25, 2023
speaker, parliament, lanka, speaker, parliament, democratic, socialist, republic, lanka, presiding, officer, chamber, current, speaker, parliament, mahinda, yapa, abeywardena, office, since, august, 2020, speaker, fulfills, number, important, functions, relati. The Speaker of the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the presiding officer of the chamber The current Speaker of the Parliament is Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena in office since 20 August 2020 The Speaker fulfills a number of important functions in relation to the operation of the House which is based upon the British Westminster Parliamentary system Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lankaශ ර ල ක ප ර ල ම න ත කථ න යකஇலங க ந ட ள மன ற சப ந யகர Emblem of Sri LankaFlag of Sri LankaIncumbentMahinda Yapa Abeywardenasince 20 August 2020StyleHonourable SpeakerResidenceThe Speaker s Residence Sri Jayawardenapura KotteAppointerParliament of Sri LankaConstituting instrumentConstitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri LankaInaugural holderAlexander Francis MolamureFormation7 July 1931 91 years ago 1931 07 07 as Speaker of the State Council of Ceylon SuccessionSecond in thepresidential line of successionDeputyDeputy Speaker of the ParliamentSalaryLKR 822 000 annually 2016 1 2 Websitewww wbr parliament wbr lkThe Speaker is second in the Sri Lankan presidential line of succession after the Prime Minister 3 Contents 1 Origins 2 Duties and powers 3 Appointment 4 Deputies 5 Precedence salary residence and privileges 6 Official dress 7 List of speakers of Parliament 8 See also 9 References 10 External linksOrigins EditIn 1931 under the Donoughmore Constitution the State Council of Ceylon was established and in it the first office of a Speaker of a legislative body was created as the Speaker of the State Council In 1947 according to the recommendations of the Soulbury Commission the State Council was dissolved and a Parliament was established in the Westminster model with an upper house the Senate and the House of Representatives While the head of the President of the Senate became the head of the Senate the Speaker of the House of Representatives became the presiding officer of the House of Representatives The office of the Speaker as it exists now was established in 1947 with the opening of the First Parliament of Ceylon on 4 February 1948 granting of independence and the establishment of the Dominion of Ceylon Duties and powers EditThe Speaker presides over the House s debates determining which members may speak The Speaker is also responsible for maintaining order during debate and may punish members who break the rules of the House The Speaker remains strictly non partisan and renounces all affiliation with his or her former political party when taking office for the duration of his term The Speaker does not take part in debate or vote except to break ties Apart from duties relating to presiding over the House the Speaker also performs administrative and procedural functions and remains a constituency Member of Parliament MP The Speaker would be a chairmen of the constitutional council The Speaker may accept the resignation of the president The chief justice in consultation with the Speaker may determine that the president is temporarily unable to exercise perform and discharge the powers duties and functions and appoint the prime minister as acting president 3 Appointment EditAs per the Article 64 of the Constitution when Parliament first meets after a general election it will elect three members to serve as the Speaker Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees known simply as the Deputy Speaker and the Deputy Chairman of Committees The Speaker would vacate his office only if he tenders his resignation to the President or ceases to be a Member of Parliament or when Parliament dissolved 3 Deputies EditMain article Deputy speaker and chairman of committees of the Parliament of Sri Lanka The Speaker is assisted by two deputies all of whom are elected by the House These are Deputy Speaker and the Deputy Chairman of Committees In the absence of the Speaker the Deputy Speaker or in their absence the Deputy Chairman of Committees shall preside at sittings of Parliament If none of them is present a Member elected by Parliament for the sitting shall preside at the sitting of Parliament 3 Precedence salary residence and privileges Edit The Speaker s official residence in Kotte The Speaker is the third highest ranking official in Sri Lanka At present Speaker ranks in the order of precedence after the President and Prime Minister From 1948 to 1971 when the Senate was abolished the Speaker ranked fifth in the precedence after the Governor General the Prime Minister the Chief Justice and the President of the Senate From 1971 to 1978 the Speaker ranked fourth in the precedence after the Governor General President the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice After the second amendment to the Republican Constitution in 1978 in which the Speaker was placed second in the presidential line of succession the Speaker gained his current position in the order of precedence 3 In 2016 the Speaker received a salary of 68 500 Sri Lankan rupees per month and other entitlements of a Member of Parliament 4 In addition the Speaker can use the Speaker s Residence and entitled to transport and security arranged by the Parliamentary Secretariat At each sitting of parliament the Speaker or the presiding officer travels in to the chamber in procession after the Sergeant at Arms carrying the ceremonial mace that symbolises the authority of the Parliament Sergeant at Arms attends the Speaker on other occasions The Speaker has his office in the Parliament Complex and the Secretary General of Parliament who is in charge of the administrative duties of Parliament reports to the Speaker 3 Official dress Edit Chamal Rajapaksa in the Speaker s ceremonial robes mourning rosette and full bottomed wig On ceremonial sittings or occasions the Speaker wears a robe of black satin damask trimmed with gold lace a mourning rosette also known as a wig bag and frogs with full bottomed wig On normal sitting days the Speaker wears only the robe and rosette without the wig or in certain cases without the official dress This practice was adopted from the official dress of the Speaker of the House of Commons List of speakers of Parliament EditParties Governors of British Ceylon Independent United National Party Sri Lanka Freedom Party Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Name Portrait Party Tenure Head s of Government ParliamentSpeakers of the State Council 1931 1947 Alexander Francis Molamure Non partisan 7 July 1931 10 December 1934 Graeme ThomsonFrancis Graeme TyrrellReginald Edward Stubbs 1st State CouncilForester Augustus Obeysekera Non partisan 11 December 1934 7 December 1935 Reginald Edward StubbsWaithilingam Duraiswamy Non partisan 17 March 1936 4 July 1947 Reginald Edward StubbsMaxwell MacLagan WedderburnAndrew CaldecottHenry Monck Mason Moore 2nd State CouncilSpeakers of the Ceylonese House of Representatives 1947 1972 Alexander Francis Molamure United National Party 14 October 1947 25 January 1951 Henry Monck Mason MooreD S Senanayake 1stAlbert Peries United National Party 13 February 1951 18 February 1956 D S SenanayakeDudley SenanayakeJohn Kotelawala2ndHameed Hussain Sheikh Ismail Independent 19 April 1956 5 December 1959 John KotelawalaS W R D BandaranaikeWijeyananda Dahanayake 3rdTikiri Banda Subasinghe Sri Lanka Freedom Party 30 March 1960 23 April 1960 Dudley Senanayake 4thR S Pelpola Sri Lanka Freedom Party 5 August 1960 24 January 1964 Sirimavo Bandaranaike 5thHugh Fernando Sri Lanka Freedom Party 24 January 1964 17 December 1964Albert Peries United National Party 5 April 1965 21 September 1967 Dudley Senanayake 6thShirley Corea United National Party 27 September 1967 25 March 1970Stanley Tillekeratne Sri Lanka Freedom Party 7 June 1970 22 May 1972 Sirimavo Bandaranaike 7thSpeakers of the National State Assembly 1972 1978 Stanley Tillekeratne Sri Lanka Freedom Party 22 May 1972 18 May 1977 Sirimavo Bandaranaike 1st National State AssemblyAnandatissa de Alwis United National Party 4 August 1977 7 September 1978 J R Jayewardene 2nd National State AssemblySpeakers of the Sri Lankan Parliament 1978 present Anandatissa de Alwis United National Party 7 September 1978 13 September 1978 J R Jayewardene 8thAbdul Bakeer Markar United National Party 21 September 1978 30 August 1983E L Senanayake United National Party 6 September 1983 20 December 1988M H Mohamed United National Party 9 March 1989 24 June 1994 Ranasinghe PremadasaDingiri Banda Wijetunga 9thKiri Banda Ratnayake Sri Lanka Freedom Party 25 August 1994 10 October 2000 Dingiri Banda Wijetunga 10thChandrika KumaratungaAnura Bandaranaike United National Party 18 October 2000 10 October 2001 Chandrika Kumaratunga 11thM Joseph Michael Perera United National Party 19 December 2001 7 February 2004 12thW J M Lokubandara United National Party 22 April 2004 8 April 2010 Chandrika KumaratungaMahinda Rajapaksa 13thChamal Rajapaksa Sri Lanka Freedom Party 22 April 2010 26 June 2015 Mahinda RajapaksaMaithripala Sirisena 14thKaru Jayasuriya United National Party 1 September 2015 2 March 2020 Maithripala Sirisena 15thGotabaya RajapaksaMahinda Yapa Abeywardena Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna 20 August 2020 Present Gotabaya Rajapaksa 16thRanil WickremesingheSee also EditParliament of Sri LankaReferences Edit Thomas Kris 21 November 2016 Of Ministers Salaries And Parliamentary Perks Roar lk Retrieved 30 August 2017 Thomas Kavindya Chris 20 November 2016 Do MPs get fat salaries Ceylontoday lk Ceylon Today Retrieved 30 August 2017 a b c d e f The Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Of Ministers Salaries And Parliamentary PerksExternal links EditSpeaker of Parliament Speaker of the Seventh Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka amp oldid 1126375566, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
