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by our Parliament Corr

Speaker Joseph Michael Perera yesterday delivering his ruling on the committee stage vote on the Value Added Tax Bill stated that there was no breach of privilege involved in the passage of the Bill since no member could have been heard calling for a division, amidst the disturbance created by the opposition.

Earlier PA MP Dinesh Gunawardene had complained to the Speaker that he (the MP) had been on his feet and called for a vote by division against the VAT Bill but that the Bill was rushed through with his call going unheeded by the chair which constituted a breach of privilege of a member.

In his ruling the Speaker noted that a member who requests for a vote on any Bill should rise from his seat and call for same in a raised voice and that for an MP to be recognised by the chair the other MPs should remain silent and permit the MP his request.

However when the VAT Bill was taken up, even before the House could go into Committee MPs obstructed proceedings by causing noisy scenes, even going on to threaten the Chair, the Speaker observed. Due to the disturbance he was compelled to adjourn the House for a short period after which he summoned the party leaders and sought their co-operation to conduct the affairs of the House.

However the disturbance continued even after the resumption with the opposition itself preventing the opportunity for a vote to be taken.

The Speaker also dismissed as baseless the allegation that there was no quorum when the vote was taken.

He said by all indication the House commanded the necessary number of MPs at the time of the vote. 

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