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Debate on VAT Bill: Parliament session adjourned
By Saman indrajith
Parliament session allotted for the Second Reading debate on the Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill and the Finance Bill were put off yesterday for want of a quorum.
The debate was scheduled to be held from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm as decided in the Committee on Parliamentary Business, chaired by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, on Nov 20.
State Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya moved the House for the debate on the VAT (Amendment) Bill. He said that VAT would be imposed on 97 out of the 138 goods that had previously been exempt from the tax in a bid to boost state revenue. He said Short Message Service (SMS) in fixed telephone networks would also be subjected to VAT, given the increased number of text messages sent. Medicines, equipment used by disabled persons, rice flour, wheat flour, vegetables, fruits, liquid milk, and the ‘Suwaseriya’ ambulance service would not be subjected to VAT, the State Minister said.
However, as the debate was in progress, Kurunegala District SJB MP Nalin Bandara, pointed out that there was no quorum in the House. He accused the government of trying to hoodwink the due process in passing the VAT bill. The MP said that there weren’t 20 MPs in the 225-member House and as such it was wrong to continue the debate without the quorum.
State Finance Minister Shehan Semasinghe said that the vote on the bill was scheduled to be taken later in the evening and the government MPs would be there in the House on time for the vote and the debate could be continued.
Chief Opposition Whip Kandy District SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella said the debate could not be held if documents with the relevant information were not available.
State Minister Semasinghe said two separate lists which included 300 items on which VAT was imposed and the list which included the items which are exempted were available. “You can find the list for which VAT will be imposed,” he said.
However, the Opposition MPs walked out at that moment.
Owing to protests from the Opposition, the Deputy Speaker decided to suspend the proceedings and ordered that the quorum bell be rung.
However, the number of the MPs who responded to the quorum bell was fewer than 20 when the count was taken after five minutes of the ringing of the quorum bell twice.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa took away his party MPs in protest against the proposal of increasing the VAT to 18 percent.The Deputy Speaker adjourned sittings until 9.30 this morning.
Parliament sources said that some SLPP MPs were opposed to the VAT increase therefore they were absent yesterday. They would continue to be absent this morning too, the sources said.
The last three days of the Committee Stage Debate of the budget will be held from Monday the 11th to Wednesday the 13th and the division on the third reading of the Appropriation Bill (Budget) for the financial year 2024 is scheduled to be held on the 13th at 6.00 pm.
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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
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
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.
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.
Landslide Early Warnings issued to the districts of Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Hambanthota, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matara, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura
Showers in the Western, Uva and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Batticaloa and Ampara districts.
22A, Judicature Amendment Bills passed with 2/3 majority
TIN mandatory for key transactions from Nov. 1
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