Hon. (Mrs.) Nilanthi Kottahachchi, Attorney-at-Law

The Hon. (Mrs.) Nilanthi Kottahachchi formally presented a petition to Parliament on behalf of Mr. I. Dayawansa de Silva, a resident of Pamunugama, Alubomulla, Panadura. No further details regarding the subject matter or nature of the petition were stated in the speech.

The Hon. (Mrs.) Nilanthi Kottahachchi, Attorney-at-Law, acting on behalf of the Chair of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Economic Stabilization and International Relations, formally presented the Committee's Report on the Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill to the House. The Report was subsequently ordered to lie upon the Table.

## Summary Hon. Kottahachchi defended the Government's decision to extend a state of emergency following the "Ditva" cyclone, which struck the previous month, arguing that emergency powers are necessary to remove bureaucratic bottlenecks and enable swift disaster recovery rather than for any other political purpose. She framed the disaster response within a broader narrative of national renewal, referencing the Independence Day theme "Rebuild Sri Lanka" and emphasizing the restoration of rule of law, accountable governance, and public trust as parallel objectives. The speaker rejected Opposition criticism of the emergency extension, attributing it to opportunism, and highlighted three government strengths: responsive leadership, transparent policy-making, and responsible citizen conduct during the crisis. She warned that the Opposition's obstructionist approach would consign them to permanent minority status.