Parliament has granted another two months to the select committee investigating the release of 323 shipping containers from the Port of Colombo without mandatory physical inspection, extending its reporting deadline to December 21, 2026.
The extension was approved on October 20, one day before the committee’s previous deadline was due to expire.
According to Parliament’s official proceedings, Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara moved the resolution seeking additional time for the committee to complete its work.
The House approved the extension under Standing Order 102.
The committee was established to investigate the circumstances surrounding the release of the containers and submit recommendations to Parliament.
Inquiry authorised in November 2025
Parliament approved the establishment of the select committee on November 19, 2025.
The Speaker announced the appointment of its members on November 27.
Its mandate concerns the release of 323 containers from the Port of Colombo without undergoing mandatory physical inspection.
The committee was tasked with examining the matter and reporting its findings and recommendations to Parliament.
Its work has continued through several reporting extensions.
On April 9, 2026, Parliament approved an extension until July 21.
When that deadline arrived, the House approved another extension until October 21.
The latest decision moves the deadline to December 21.
| Date | Parliamentary action |
|---|---|
| 19 November 2025 | Committee authorised |
| 27 November 2025 | Members announced |
| 9 April 2026 | Deadline extended to 21 July |
| 21 July 2026 | Deadline extended to 21 October |
| 20 October 2026 | New deadline approved for 21 December |
The latest extension adds 61 days to the reporting period.
Calculations by Lakbima News show that the new deadline falls 397 days after Parliament originally approved the committee’s establishment.
Parliament has yet to receive the committee’s completed report
The October 20 proceedings state that the committee requires additional time to report its observations.
The published resolution does not provide a detailed explanation of the outstanding work.
It does not identify witnesses who remain to be examined, documents still being sought or the specific matters preventing the committee from completing its report.
The proceedings also do not establish the contents of the 323 containers.
The committee’s remit concerns their release without mandatory physical inspection. That description does not establish that every container contained prohibited goods or that criminal wrongdoing has been proved.
Such conclusions would require evidence from the investigation and any subsequent legal proceedings.
Questions concerning Customs procedures
The release of imported cargo involves procedures administered by Sri Lanka Customs and other authorities responsible for port operations.
Physical inspection is one part of the Customs control process.
The parliamentary inquiry was established because the release of the 323 containers without mandatory physical inspection required examination.
Determining responsibility would require records showing who authorised the release, which procedures applied and whether those procedures were followed.
The committee’s completed report may address these matters. The latest extension resolution does not disclose its findings.
Questions concerning public oversight have also featured in earlier Lakbima News reporting, including an examination of government procurement records and accountability.
The container inquiry concerns a separate administrative process, but both matters depend on access to official records and clear explanations of decisions made by public institutions.
New deadline falls in December
The committee now has until December 21 to submit its report.
Parliament’s October 20 proceedings do not indicate whether the committee requested further investigative powers or whether its membership has changed.
They also contain no estimate of the expenditure incurred by the committee since its establishment.
The House approved the additional reporting period during its October 20 sitting, which concluded at 5.40 p.m.
The inquiry therefore remains open as Parliament begins its sitting on October 21.
Business of the House, 20 October 2026
Business of the House, 21 July 2026
Business of the House, 19 November 2025
