President prorogues Parliament

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

A gazette notice declaring that Parliament has been prorogued, has been issued by the Secretary to the President P.B Jayasudara.

The gazette notice states that by virtue of the powers vested in him by Article 70 of the Constitution, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, has prorogued Parliament with effect from midnight of the 12th day of December, 2021.

The President has declared that the next session of Parliament will be 18th January, 2022? at 10.00 a.m.

A prorogation is a temporary recess of Parliament which should not extend to a period of more than two months.

However, such date for summoning Parliament may be advanced by another Presidential Proclamation provided it is summoned for a date not less than three days from the date of such fresh proclamation.

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.

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.

In terms of Standing Orders of Parliament No. 114, the Committee of Selection has to be appointed and therefore, all the Committees for Special Purposes cease to function during the recess or the prorogation of Parliament and all of them have to be re-constituted at the commencement of each Session of Parliament except the Committee on High Posts, Sectoral Oversight Committees and Select Committees of Parliament as per provisions of Standing Order of Parliament. (Colombo Gazette)