The Ceremonial Opening of the Fourth Session of the Eighth Parliament by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will be held at 10.00 a.m. on Friday the 03rd of January 2020. The new Parliamentary session on the 3rd will commence with the arrival of the invitees at 9.00 a. m. The arrival of the members of Parliament will take place first followed by the arrival of the Speaker of Parliament Karu Hayasuriya, Hon. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.
Speaker Karu Jayasuriya and the Secretary General of ParliamentDhammika Dasanayaka will be welcoming President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa at the main steps of the Parliament building followed by hoisting of the National flag by the President. The students of Kotte Ananda Balika Vidyalaya will line up for the recital of Jayamangala Gatha at the main entrance of the Parliament Building in welcoming President.President will be accompanied to the House of Parliament by the Serjeant-at-Arms, Deputy Serjeant-at-Arms, Assistant Serjeant-at-Arms followed by the Speaker of Parliament and the Secretary General of Parliament.
President will preside over the Ceremonial Sitting of Parliament and will address Parliament where he makes the Statement of the new Government Policy in Parliament as provided by Article 33 (2) of the Constitution. After his Address, His Excellency the President will suspend the Parliament until 1.00 p.m. on this day.
As stated by the Serjeant-at-Arms Narendra Fernando, over 600 invitees including foreign diplomats, former presidents, prime ministers, chief justice, supreme court judges and the Attorney General will be present at the Ceremonial Opening of the Fourth Session of the Eighth Parliament.
