Person
Jagath Wickramaratne
Listed from published reports. Appearing here is not a finding of wrongdoing.
See on the map
Details
- Role
- Speaker of Parliament since December 2024; NPP MP for Polonnaruwa
- Status
- Complaint under investigation by the bribery commission as of February 2026; a no-confidence motion signed by 44 opposition MPs was handed in on 9 October 2026 and, as reported on 22 October 2026, referred to the Attorney General; a debate on a revised motion was scheduled for 3 November 2026, as reported on 27 October 2026, while the opposition said on 28 October 2026 it would not amend or withdraw the allegations; on 30 October 2026 the Leader of the House said the motion would not be debated on 3 November because it had not been amended under the Standing Orders and resubmitted before 28 October; on 3 November 2026 Opposition MPs protested in Parliament, and tried to seize the mace, over the refusal to take up the motion, while the Deputy Speaker said privilege submissions received that morning had not yet been examined; no charge reported
Connections (6)
- Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption / Decided to investigate a complaint against, February 2026 / Jagath WickramaratneAllegation
- Newswire, citing the Sunday Times: the commission decided to investigate a complaint filed against the Speaker by Chaminda Kularatne, Parliament’s suspended Deputy Secretary General, and a separate complaint against Kularatne. Neither Parliament nor the individuals had commented.8 Feb 2026 · Newswire · CIABOC to probe complaint against Speaker
- Jagath Wickramaratne / MP for; elected Speaker, December 2024 / National People’s Power (NPP)
- The NPP MP for Polonnaruwa was elected Speaker of the Tenth Parliament unopposed on 17 December 2024, nominated by Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya. The post was vacant after Asoka Ranwala resigned on 13 December.17 Dec 2024 · Ada Derana · Jagath Wickremeratne appointed new Speaker
- Jagath Wickramaratne / Succeeded as Speaker / Asoka Ranwala
- Jagath Wickramaratne / Speaker of, from December 2024 / Parliament of Sri Lanka
- Jagath Wickramaratne / Barred live broadcast of statements by, March 2025 / Ramanathan Archchuna
- The Speaker banned his statements from being live-streamed for the next eight sittings from 20 March 2025 and said they would be removed from Hansard. He said the MP had used unparliamentary language against MPs, women and religious persons, and had not changed his behaviour despite several warnings. The article carries no response from the MP.19 Mar 2025 · Newswire · Speaker announces action against MP Archchuna Ramanathan
- Jagath Wickramaratne / Subject of a no-confidence motion in, October 2026 / Parliament of Sri LankaAllegation
- A motion signed by 44 opposition MPs was handed to the Secretary-General of Parliament. It sets out around 50 allegations, including misconduct, misuse of public property and breaches of procedure, and the opposition called on him to step down. The article carries no response from him.9 Oct 2026 · Newswire · Opposition MPs submit No-Confidence Motion against Speaker
- Leader of the House Bimal Ratnayake confirmed the motion had been referred to the Attorney General for observations. He said it contains matters before the courts, relating to a case filed by a parliamentary employee against his dismissal, and is “more or less slanderous”, and that it cannot be debated in its present form. The article carries no statement from the Speaker himself.22 Oct 2026 · Daily FT · No-confidence motion against Speaker referred to AG
- Opposition MPs said in a statement that the government’s argument that the allegations are sub judice was neither legally sound nor reasonable, that the Speaker should step aside while allegations against him are examined, and that the motion had not been referred to the Attorney General despite an understanding reached at a 12 October Committee on Parliamentary Business meeting. The article carries no response from the Speaker.27 Oct 2026 · Ada Derana · Opposition accuses government of blocking debate on No-Confidence Motion against Speaker
- The SJB and opposition MPs called for his resignation and said they would neither amend nor withdraw the allegations. They criticised the 23 October Committee on Parliamentary Business decision, chaired by the Speaker, to reject a debate unless the allegations were amended, and alleged he influenced it. The article carries no response from the Speaker.28 Oct 2026 · Newswire · Opposition calls for Speaker’s resignation, refuses to amend no-confidence motion
- The Committee on Parliamentary Business, chaired by the Speaker, scheduled the debate on the Opposition’s revised no-confidence motion for 3 November 2026, the Department of Communication of Parliament said.27 Oct 2026 · Ada Derana · Opposition’s revised No-Confidence Motion to be debated in Parliament on Nov. 3
- Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake said the motion would not be taken up for debate on 3 November because it had not been amended in accordance with the Standing Orders of Parliament and resubmitted before 28 October. He said 3 November was allocated for an adjournment debate. The article carries no statement from the Speaker.30 Oct 2026 · Ada Derana · No-confidence motion against Speaker will not be debated on Nov. 3 – Bimal
- On 3 November 2026 Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said the motion, with 50 charges and signed by 44 Opposition MPs, was handed in on 9 October and entered in the Order Book on 12 October but later rejected on a decision of the Committee on Parliamentary Business, and called for an inquiry into whether this breached parliamentary privilege. Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih said he had received privilege submissions after 9.00 a.m. that day and had not yet examined them. The article carries no statement from the Speaker.3 Nov 2026 · Newswire · Tense situation in Parliament over no-confidence motion against Speaker
- Reports that Opposition MPs tried to seize the ceremonial mace on 3 November 2026 during a protest over the rejection of the motion, and that the Deputy Speaker said the submissions would be examined and answered later that day. Proceedings then continued.3 Nov 2026 · Newswire · Tensions in Parliament: Opposition MPs attempt to seize mace
- SJB MP Mujibur Rahman said the Speaker was destroying democracy in Parliament by not allowing the motion to be debated, and that the reason given, a pending court case over the Speaker’s conduct, had not stopped former Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena from allowing a debate on a motion against him. The article carries no response from the Speaker.26 Oct 2026 · Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka) · Democracy in Parliament being destroyed: SJB MP