News
Speaker receives copies of seven petitions filed in SC against proposed Finance Bill
By Saman Indrajith
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena yesterday told Parliament that he had received copies of seven petitions that had been filed in the Supreme Court against certain provisions in the Finance Bill introduced by the government to grant amnesty to tax evaders.
The petitions had been submitted as per the provisions of the Article 121(1) of the Constitution, the Speaker announced at the commencement of sittings yesterday.
The petitioners claimed that the provisions of the draft were inconsistent with the constitution and would require the bill to be passed by a special majority in Parliament and by the people at a referendum.
The bill was presented to Parliament last week. Under the provisions of the proposed bill if a person fails to disclose the taxable assets and is willing to immediately invest the equivalent amount in the country, he or she can invest in other financial instruments such as purchase of shares of a resident company, treasury bills or treasury bonds issued by the Central Bank, debt securities issued by a resident company in Sri Lanka or buy any movable or immovable property in Sri Lanka. This section of the bill will come into effect on or after the date of commencement of this Act, but prior to December 31. On voluntary disclosure, a one per cent nominal tax would be payable.
In his SC petition, SJB MP Eran Wickramaratne noted that the bill granted full immunity, also referred to as a ‘tax amnesty’ from liability to pay any tax, penalty or interest, or from any investigation or prosecution. It noted that the sum to be collected as a ‘Tax on Voluntary Disclosure’ of 1% of the sum disclosed is far lower than the tax liability of the persons who have already paid tax in terms of applicable existing law.
The grant of the tax amnesty would legitimise fraud on revenue perpetrated by those to whom the amnesty is granted, the petitioner argued.
The government, under heavy Opposition fire over inclusion of a sex website in the Grade 6 English module, as well as overall education reforms, has decided to put on hold reforms in respect of Grade 6.
Cabinet Spokesman and Media and Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced the government decision yesterday (13) at the post-Cabinet media briefing at the Information Department.
According to him, the decision had been taken at the previous day’s Cabinet meeting, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Dr. Jayatissa said that education reforms pertaining to Garde 6 had been put on hold until 2027.
The Minister said that other proposed education reforms would be implemented as planned. The Minister said that action would be taken against those responsible for the inclusion of a link to a sex website following investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department and the National Education Institute.
The SJB and several other political parties, as well as civil society groups, have accused the government of promoting an LGBTQ agenda, through the proposed education reforms.
The Opposition grouping Mahajana Handa, on Monday, made representations to the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatta Chapter regarding the controversial reforms, while urging their intervention to halt the project.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (13) vowed to go ahead with his government’s agenda, regardless of the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Emphasising the responsibility on the part of all to contribute to the post-Ditwah recovery efforts, President Dissanayake said that he would have complete faith in the public service.
The President said so at the launch of the re-building Sri Lanka project at the BMICH yesterday.
The JVP and NPP leader said that he wouldn’t take advantage of the death and destruction caused by the cyclone or use the situation as an excuse to reverse their agenda or weaken it.
President Dissanayake said that in spite of many calling for amending the then Budget, in view of the cyclone, the government presented the proposals that were agreed before the disaster struck.
The United States has announced that it will provide the Sri Lanka Air Force with 10 US Navy TH-57 helicopters free of charge.
The announcement was made by outgoing US Ambassador Julie Chung, who stated, on social media, that the helicopters would be transferred under the United States’ Excess Defence Articles programme. The aircraft are Bell 206 Sea Ranger helicopters previously operated by the US Navy.
US sources said that the transfer was intended to strengthen Sri Lanka’s disaster response capabilities, following the devastating cyclone that struck the island at the end of 2025 and killed more than 600 people. US officials have framed the move as a humanitarian measure aimed at improving aerial rescue and relief operations.
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