Visit of Parliamentary Officials to India
A 26-member delegation of Sri Lankan Parliamentary Officials, led by Ms. Kushani Rohanadeera, Secretary General of Parliament, visited India in August to participate in a Capacity Building Program organized by the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE), Lok Sabha Secretariat, New Delhi.
The initiative aims to strengthen institutional cooperation and provide Sri Lankan Parliamentary officials with greater exposure to the functioning and practices of the Indian Parliament.
The five-day program commenced with a welcome and orientation session, followed by detailed briefings on the organizational structure of the Lok Sabha Secretariat and the functioning of its Administration Branch.
Participants were also familiarized with the various services provided to Members of Parliament, including the roles of the Members’ Services, Members’ Services Allowances and Welfare Branches. Sessions on parliamentary privileges and ethics provided further insights into the institutional framework governing parliamentary functioning.
The program also covered the role and functions of Parliamentary Committees in ensuring executive accountability, as well as the functioning and management of Committee Secretariats and Branches.
Participants were briefed on International Parliamentary Relations and Protocol, and were provided an overview of Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSCs) in the Indian Parliament.
Other sessions focused on the role and powers of Presiding Officers in legislatures, and on the preparation and management of the Secretariat’s budget, including the functioning of the Integrated Finance Unit (IFU) and the Budget and Parliament (B&P) Branches.
As part of the program, the officials visited the Parliament Library Building and Parliament House, including the Chambers of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, as well as the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan.
The delegation also undertook a visit to Agra, where they visited the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, as well as local sightseeing in Delhi, providing an opportunity for cultural familiarization alongside the capacity building component of the program.
The program was organized under the enhanced capacity-building framework announced by the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, during his State Visit to Sri Lanka in April 2025, which provides 700 customized slots annually for Sri Lankan professionals.
The program further reaffirms the enduring ties between two strong democracies, strengthening parliamentary cooperation and sharing institutional experiences.