Parliament of Sri Lanka

Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

ශ්‍රී ලංකා ප්‍රජාතාන්ත්‍රික සමාජවාදී ජනරජයේ පාර්ලිමේන්තුව
இலங்கை நாடாளுமன்றம்
Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ; ශ්‍රී ලංකා ප්‍රජාතාන්ත්‍රික සමාජවාදී ජනරජයේ පාර්ලිමේන්තුව; இலங்கை நாடாளுமன்றம்
16th Sri Lankan Parliament
	National Emblem of Sri Lanka
Type
Type	Unicameral
History
Founded	7 September 1978
Preceded by	National State Assembly
Leadership
Speaker	Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, SLPP ; since 20 August 2020
Secretary General	Kushani Rohanadeera ; since 23 May 2023
Prime Minister	Dinesh Gunawardena, SLPP ; since 22 July 2022
Leader of the Opposition	Sajith Premadasa, SJB ; since 20 August 2020
Structure
Seats	225
Political groups	Government (109) SLPP (106); UNP (3); Opposition (116) SJB (59); SLFP (12); SLC (12); TNA (10); NPP (3); TNPF (2); SLMC (1); MNA (1); TPNA (1); ACMC (1); NC (1);
Length of term	5 years
Elections
Voting system	Open list proportional representation
First election	15 February 1989
Last election	5 August 2020
Next election	TBA
Meeting place
	Parliament Building, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Website
	www.parliament.lk
Constitution
	Constitution of Sri Lanka

The Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Sinhala: ශ්‍රී ලංකා පාර්ලිමේන්තුව Shri Lanka Parlimenthuwa, Tamil: இலங்கை நாடாளுமன்றம் Ilaṅkai nāṭāḷumaṉṟam) is the supreme legislative body of Sri Lanka. It alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all other political bodies in the island. It is modeled after the British Parliament.

It consists of 225 members known as Members of Parliament (MPs). Members are elected by proportional representation for five-year terms, with universal suffrage.

The President of Sri Lanka has the power to summon, suspend, prorogue, or terminate a legislative session and to dissolve the Parliament. The President can dissolve Parliament only after the lapse of 2+1⁄2 years or if a 2⁄3 majority of Members of Parliament requests him. The action of the president to either suspend or dissolve the Parliament is subject to legal scrutiny of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. The Speaker or, in his absence, the Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees or the Deputy Chairman of Committees, presides over Parliament.