Inaugural session of 9th parliament set to commence today

COLOMBO (News 1st): The inaugural session of the 9th Parliament will commence at 9:30 am today (Aug 20), under the patronage of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The new Speaker of Parliament, Deputy Speaker, and Deputy Chairpersons of Committees will be appointed first, which is followed by all MPs taking their oath. More than 80 new Members of Parliament have also been elected to Parliament this time. Another key feature of today's 1st sitting of parliament is the two vacant National List seats. As such, this is the first time since independence in 1948, that the inaugural session of Parliament will be held without the representation of the United National Party, one of the oldest political parties in the country. The National List seat of Our Power Of People Party is also vacant today as no suitable candidate has been nominated so far. Several MPs related to each other including four fathers and their sons were elected to Parliament this time. 26-year-old Jeewan Thondaman will take oaths as the youngest MP of the 9th Parliament today. Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias "Pillayan" who is currently imprisoned and elected from the Batticaloa District will also attend the 1st sitting of the 9th parliament, today. Premalal Jayasekara alias "Choka Malli" who is on death row elected from the Ratnapura District will attend the 1st sitting of the 9th parliament as well. Secretary-General of Parliament, Dhammika Dasanayake said, Parliament will be adjourned until 3 pm after the swearing-in of the new Members of Parliament. The session will then again begin at 3:00 pm with a simple ceremony. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is scheduled to present the new government's Policy Statement at 3:00 pm.