Dr. Jagath Wickremeratne, Member of Parliament (MP) representing the National People’s Power (NPP), has been unanimously appointed as the new Speaker of Sri Lanka’s Parliament.
The Polonnaruwa District MP was nominated by Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya during the commencement of today’s parliamentary session, with the proposal being seconded by Leader of the House, Minister Bimal Ratnayake.
Deputy Speaker Dr. Rizvie Salih subsequently announced that Dr. Wickremeratne was unanimously appointed as Speaker of the Tenth Parliament, as no other candidates were proposed for the role.
The appointment follows the resignation of former Speaker MP Asoka Ranwala on December 13, amid controversy surrounding his educational qualifications. President Ranil Wickremesinghe officially accepted Ranwala’s resignation thereafter.
Notably, the opposition had previously expressed intentions to propose a candidate for the Speaker position; however, no such proposal materialized during today’s proceedings.
Dr. Jagath Wickremeratne, who contested from the Polonnaruwa District during the 2024 General Election, was elected to Parliament after securing 51,391 preferential votes, placing second in the district.
Born in 1968, Dr. Wickremeratne holds an MBBS Degree from the University of Peradeniya, as well as a Postgraduate Diploma in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety (PGDip HCQ&PS) and a Master of Science (MSc) in Medical Administration from the University of Colombo.
This marks Dr. Wickremeratne’s first term as a Member of Parliament.
