The inaugural session of the 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka is scheduled to commence at 10 am today. 

The first task on the agenda will be appointing a new Speaker to the Parliament. 

The Speaker is considered the 3rd Citizen of Sri Lanka. 

Accordingly, after the President and the Prime Minister, it is the Speaker of the country who is the third most respected citizen. 

Since the beginning of Sri Lanka's Parliamentary history in 1931, 21 Members of Parliament have been appointed as Speaker.

General Secretary of Parliament Kushani Rohanadheera spoke on the appointment of a new Speaker today. 

She says that first, she will announce the first item on the agenda, which is the appointment of the Speaker. 

Thereafter, a request will be made for the name of a suitable MP to be nominated. 

This name will also have to be seconded. 

That MP should have been asked beforehand, whether or not he/she would like to serve as the Speaker of the country. 

If no objections are raised, that MP will be announced as the Speaker of the 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka, by the General Secretary of Parliament, Kushani Rohanadheera.

She says that if more than one name is nominated, a secret cote will be carried out in order to select the new Speaker. 

Thereafter, the MP who proposed the name, and the MP who seconded, will escort the newly elected Speaker to the Parliamentary seat designated for the Speaker. 

Then, he/she will take oaths before the General Secretary of Parliament. 

Following a short thanking speech from the newly appointed Speaker, all newly elected MPs will then proceed to take oaths before him/her.

Thereafter, time will be allocated for one congratulatory speech each from both the government and the opposition. 

Following this, the new Speaker will then announce the next item on the agenda, which is the appointment of the Deputy Speaker of Parliament.