News
Lawmaking: Supreme Court’s mandatory role at stake – GL
‘Incumbent speaker elected on SLPP ticket is the worst’
Declaring that Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena had become an extension of the executive, Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday (18) alleged that the role of the Supreme Court, pertaining to the enactment of new laws, was at stake.
The former External Affairs Minister explained how the discarding of the SC’s specific recommendations in respect of the recently enacted Online Safety Act could make the country’s apex court irrelevant.
Prof. Peiris said that political parties in the Opposition had moved a No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against Speaker Abeywardena as they couldn’t tolerate the rapid decline in the democratic processes.
Addressing the media at his Kirula Place residence, Prof. Peiris, who recently aligned himself with the main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), said that the SC’s recommendations ended up in the wastepaper basket.
Prof. Peiris said that among the discarded sections were six very important recommendations.
The Parliament will vote on the NCM tomorrow (20) late afternoon following a two-day debate.
Prof. Peiris said that unless the Parliament, regardless of party lines, took a stand on Speaker Abeywardena’s unacceptable conduct, the country would have to pay a huge price.
Prof. Peiris said that the Speaker had ignored the concerns raised by the Human Rights Commission in this regard. Alleging that there had never been a similar situation, Prof. Peiris emphasised that the acceptance of SC’s recommendations was mandatory. Therefore, the issue at hand posed quite a serious challenge to parliamentary democracy and the wellbeing of the people, Prof. Peiris said.
Prof. Peiris added that the manipulation of Parliament had received the attention of the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (SF).
Approval has been granted at the Cabinet meeting held on 22.07.2024 to publish the draft bill of State Assets Management Act in the government gazette notification and thereby present it to the Parliament for its concurrence.
However, the draft bill couldn’t be passed in Parliament as a result of the Parliament being dissolved in the month of October 2024.
Thereafter, the draft bill was subject to further inspection by a
committee appointed which comprised of officials and authorities on the subject.
The said Committee has recognized the amendments to be made and a fundamental draft has been prepared including the proposed amendments.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to suspend further activities regarding the draft bill of State Assets Management Act published in the extraordinary gazette of 02.08.2024, and to direct the Legal Draftsman to prepare a draft bill based on the fundamental draft prepared by the subject specialists’ committee.
Considering the compliance of the Cooperative Societies’ operations with the concurrent socio – economic circumstances as well as the changes in the common law, the requirement of amending the Cooperative Employees Commission Act No. 12 of 1972 has been recognized.
A fundamental draft including proposed amendments based on the experience gained by that Commission as well as the opinions and proposals of Cooperative societies, their director board members, cooperative employees and other interested parties has been prepared.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative development to provide instructions to the Legal draftsman to prepare a draft bill to amend the Cooperative Employees Commission Act No. 12 0f 1972, based on the said fundamental draft.
Latest News
Dilki Wathsala Marambage appointed as Director General of the Department of Technical Education and Training
The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal forwarded by the Prime Minister in her capacity as the Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education to appoint Mrs. Dilki Wathsala Marambage to the post of Director General of the Department of Technical Education and Training.
Cabinet approves redrafting of State Assets Management Act
Cooperative Employees Commission Act No. 12 of 1972 to be amended
Dilki Wathsala Marambage appointed as Director General of the Department of Technical Education and Training
Declaration of Naakolagane Sanctuary under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance
Cabinet approves transfer and maintenance of selected roads presently under PC’s and Local Authorities to the RDA
Obtaining financial facilities for the Water Supply and Sanitation Improvement Program (Sub-program 2) from the ADB
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
Features6 days agoThe Sri Lankan who made Scottish history
-
Sports6 days agoNissanka absence opens door for Sri Lanka’s young guns
-
News5 days agoNDB fraud Rs 60mn more than reported
-
News7 days agoGnansara Thera to be assigned to prison printing section: Officials
-
News5 days agoRemoving monk’s robes matter for Sangha to decide: Mahanayake Theras
-
News7 days agoOIC of FCID summoned before Maligakanda Magistrate
-
Features6 days agoFuture of Sri Lanka’s state university system: Should it be shut down and reopened?
-
News6 days agoShiranthi R remanded until 13 Oct.