June 04, Colombo (LNW): A recent analysis of parliamentary activity suggests that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s administration has achieved a higher legislative output than the government led by former President Maithripala Sirisena during a comparable period in office.
The study, conducted by Verite Research, examined the number of Bills introduced, debated and ultimately enacted during the first 18 months of both administrations. The findings indicate that while the Sirisena government initially recorded stronger legislative activity, the current administration has accelerated its law-making efforts over time and has now moved ahead in terms of legislation passed by Parliament.
According to the report, the Sirisena administration maintained an early advantage during its first few months, introducing and gazetting a greater number of Bills. However, the pace of enactment under the present government increased steadily, allowing it to surpass the previous administration in the number of laws successfully approved.
Researchers noted that by the 18-month milestone, the current administration had enacted a significantly larger number of laws despite introducing slightly fewer Bills overall. The analysis suggests that a higher proportion of proposed legislation has progressed through the parliamentary process and reached the statute book under the present government.
The report also highlighted that Parliament sat for more days during the current administration’s first 18 months compared with the equivalent period under Sirisena, potentially contributing to the increased legislative output. Observers say this reflects a stronger focus on advancing policy reforms through Parliament rather than relying solely on executive action.
Political analysts caution that the volume of legislation alone does not determine the effectiveness of a government. Nevertheless, they note that the findings provide an indication of how efficiently administrations have navigated the legislative process and secured parliamentary approval for their policy agendas.
