Parliament is scheduled to meet at 10.00 am today (27).

Accordingly, the emergency declaration announced by the Acting President under the Public Security Act is to be approved after debate until 4.30 pm today.

This announcement was made by the then Acting President through the Special Gazette notification No. 2288/30 dated July 17, 2022 and according to the legal provisions, if the approval of the Parliament is not obtained within 14 days for the emergency announcement, it will get cancelled.

It is stated in the gazette that this announcement has been issued in accordance with the powers of the President of the Public Security Ordinance to ensure public safety and the survival of the country and to maintain essential supplies and services for public life due to the existence of a public emergency in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, Vajira Abeywardena, who was nominated by the Election Commission for the post of National List Member of the United National Party, is scheduled to be sworn in as a Member of Parliament this morning (27). The parliamentary seat fell vacant due to Ranil Wickremasinghe assuming duties as President.

Meanwhile, the SJB and the SJB alliance have unanimously decided yesterday (26) to vote against the emergency law brought with the aim of suppressing the right to protest.

Yesterday (26) the group of MPs and the executive committee of the SJB and the SJB Union have decided not to work with the oppressive government, which is directly and indirectly unleashing state terrorism on the people without providing real solutions to their problems.

However, they have decided to extend their support if a committee system is established in the Parliament to find solutions to the pressing problems of the people in the parliamentary democratic system.