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20A passed at first reading stage amidst protests from SJB

Published

6 years ago

2020/09/23

Sahan Weerasooriya

By Saman Indrajith

The 20th Amendment Bill was passed yesterday in Parliament at the first reading stage amidst protests from the SJB.

Justice Minister Ali Sabry presented the Bill to the House.

SJB members who were wearing black armbands and badges with ‘No to 20’ printed on them shouted. They held placards denouncing the 20th Amendment.

Some SJB MPs were seen coming from their desks to the Well of the House, and then the government MPs too came down and shouted, ‘Yes to 20’.

Serjeant-at-Arms Narendra Fernando and his deputy Kushan Jayaratne were seen standing before the Mace

Trade Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardane moved a number of Orders under the Special Commodity Levy Act for debate.

Seconding the move, Samurdhi, Household Economy, Micro Finance, Self-Employment, Business Development and Underutilised State Resources Development State Minister Shehan Semasinghe said that the Opposition should have raised their concerns elsewhere.

“They can now go before court and express their concerns. They have one more option. That is to secure a two-third majority in Parliament and defeat the Bill. Without doing any of them they shout here to disrupt sittings and thereby waste public funds. We remember how they behaved when they were in power; they brought in several no-confidence motions. They did so after suspending the Standing Orders of the House. The then Speaker Karu Jayasuriya suspended Standing Orders to allow JVP MP Vijitha Herath to move a motion. We do not act in such undemocratic manner. People have given us a mandate to do away with the 19th Amendment. We act according to that mandate.”

SJB Kegalle District MP Kabir Hashim:

There are two groups in this House. One group ruled this country for 20 years. We were in power for five years.

If they say that they need more powers to develop this country that is a joke.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said the TV camera was not focussed on MP Hashim.

SJB MPs shouted demanding that the camera be focussed on him

MP Hashim:

If this is the manner the government ensuring the rights of MPs before the 20th Amendment, what will happen to us after it becomes law?

MP Hashim:

Have you been able to bring down the price of a single commodity after coming to power? When you came to power in 1994 you promised to abolish the executive presidency, and do away with the open economic policies. You did not do so. Mahinda Rajapaksa too came to power on the same promises. But his government did not honour thems. Today, we are staging this protest to save the powers of the Prime Minister not for our sake. Do you remember the Subha and Yasa story. A palace guard and the king exchanged their places for the fun of it. But the guard did not give back the throne to the king. He remained in the position and even killed the King. The same will happen here when the 20th Amendment is passed.

Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage:

This is a government of the people. We will not do anything against people’s aspirations. We uphold democracy. During the times when you were in the government you did not hold elections. There are many MPs in the opposition today who want to join our government. By this morning there were 17 opposition MPs who wanted to join us. We will get 20 MPs from the Opposition to secure the passage of this Bill. You do not worry about saving the powers of the Prime Minister. We will see to that. You passed the 19th Amendment to prevent the Rajapaksas from coming to power. The Opposition paints a dismal picture of the 20th Amendment. Former Minister Hashim laments about the prices of commodities. Tell me the price of a coconut. Tell me. You cannot because you do not know. You do not know because you are living in luxury away from people. Today a coconut is Rs 70 in the market. You are not with the people that is why you lost the election.

Industry Minister Wimal Weerawansa raising a point of order said that MPs could not demand that the camera be focussed on them. “Whenever there is a protest in the House, the camera should focus either on the Speaker or the Mace. That is the procedure. It was introduced by the former Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara.”

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa:

We register our opposition and frustration over the 20th Amendment. This amendment has provisions that will erode democratic values.

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Landslide Early Warnings issued to the districts of Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Hambanthota, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matara, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura

Published

11 hours ago

2026/09/26

Priyan

The National Building Research Institute has issued landslide early warnings to the districts of Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Hambanthota, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matara, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura from 16:00 hrs on 25.09.2026 To 16:00 hrs on 26.09.2026

Accordingly,
LEVEL III [RED] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Neluwa, Nagoda, Niyagama and Thawalama inthe Galle district, Ganga Ihala Korale, Udapalatha, Doluwa and Pasbage Korale in the Kandy district, and Kothmale West, Ambagamuwa, Kotmale East and Norwood in the Nuwara Eliya district.

LEVEL II [AMBER] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Elpitiya, Baddegama and Karandeniya in the Galle district, Walallawita in the Kalutara district, Deltota, Udunuwara, Gangawata Korale, Yatinuwara and Panvila in the Kandy district, Aranayake, Dehiowita, Mawanella, Deraniyagala and Yatiyanthota in the Kegalle district, Thalawakelle in the Nuwara Eliya district and Ratnapura and Pelmadulla in the Ratnapura district.

LEVEL I [YELLOW] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Seethawaka and Padukka in the Colombo district, Attanagalla and Mirigama in the Gampaha district, Katuwana and Walasmulla in the Hambanthota district, Ingiriya and Bulathsinhala in the Kalutara district, Hatharaliyadda, Poojapitiya, Medadumbara, Kundasale, Ududumbara, Thumpane, Akurana, Pathadumbara, Harispattuwa and Pathahewaheta in the Kandy district, Warakapola, Bulathkohupitiya, Galigamuwa, Kegalle and Ruwanwella in the Kegalle district, Mallawapitiya, Alawwa, Polgahawela and Mawathagama in the Kegalle district, Pitabeddara, Kotapola and Pasgoda in the Matara district, Nuwara Eliya in the Nuwara Eliya district and Elapatha, Ayagama, Nivithigala, Kuruwita and Kalawana in the Ratnapura district

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22A, Judicature Amendment Bills passed with 2/3 majority

Published

12 hours ago

2026/09/26

Thilina Walpola

Parliament yesterday passed the Twenty-Second Amendment to the Constitution Bill and the Judicature (Amendment) Bill with two-thirds majorities, with 158 MPs voting in favour and 63 against each Bill.

The Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) voted with the SJB against the Bills.

NDF MPs Ravi Karunanayake and Faizer Musthapha and SJB Badulla District MP Nayana Wasalathilaka were not present when the votes were taken.

The final vote on the Judicature (Amendment) Bill was announced at around 8.08 p.m. after Opposition MPs called for divisions on its clauses during the Committee Stage.

The votes followed a two-day debate which commenced on Thursday (24), after Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara presented the Bills for their Second Reading.

The Supreme Court’s determination on the Bills was presented to Parliament on Tuesday (22) by Speaker Dr Jagath Wickramaratne. The Court determined that the 22nd Amendment Bill did not require approval at a referendum and could be passed by a special two-thirds majority in Parliament.

The amendment provides for raising the mandatory retirement age of Supreme Court judges from 65 to 67 and that of Court of Appeal judges from 63 to 65. It also provides for the Chief Justice to retire at 67 or after completing six years in office, whichever comes earlier.

The Speaker informed Parliament that the Judicature (Amendment) Bill could be passed by a simple majority.

The SJB opposed the legislation and its MPs attended Parliament dressed in black yesterday. The party also staged a protest at Polduwa Junction, Battaramulla, under the theme “No to 22, which destroys democracy”, with Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and several SJB politicians participating.

News

TIN mandatory for key transactions from Nov. 1

Published

12 hours ago

2026/09/26

Thilina Walpola

A valid Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) Certificate will be required for a range of key transactions in Sri Lanka from November 1, 2026, the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has announced.

The requirement, introduced under the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Act, No. 11 of 2026, applies to transactions specified under Section 102(3) of the Inland Revenue Act.

Accordingly, individuals will be required to produce a valid TIN Certificate when opening an account at a bank or financial institution, obtaining approval for a building plan, registering or renewing the licence of a motor vehicle, registering land or title to land, registering a business, transferring shares in a company incorporated in Sri Lanka or obtaining a credit card.

In the case of share transfers, both the transferor and transferee will be required to provide TIN certificates.

The IRD said officials handling such transactions had been instructed to ensure that a valid TIN Certificate was submitted before processing or completing the relevant transaction.

The Department advised those who do not already have a TIN to obtain one in advance through its e-Services platform.

It said a printout of the TIN verification result showing the applicant’s National Identity Card number and TIN could also be accepted instead of the certificate.The IRD also reiterated that obtaining a TIN is mandatory for resident individuals aged 18 and above under the applicable provisions.