House discusses at length Bills sent to PCs
Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody yesterday, suspended Parliament
for 10 minutes at 2.35 pm, following a point of order raised by the
opposition on four Bills that were directed to provincial councils.
UNP MP Joseph Michael Perera questioned of the constitutionality of
the four Bills: Marriage Registration (Amendment) Bill, Kandyan Marriage
and Divorce (Amendment) Bill, the Muslim Marriage and Divorce
(Amendment) Bill and the Births and Deaths Registration (Amendment) Bill
that were directed to the provincial councils for their opinion.
Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa announced on Tuesday (23), the decisions of
the Provincial Councils on the Bills that were directed to them.
Joseph Michael Perera (UNP): The Provincial Councils have not
responded to those Bills though Parliament directed those four Bills to
the Provincial Councils, which one is correct?
Leader of the House Nimal Siripala de Silva: Although the Provincial
Councils respond or not, after the lapse of one month of the Bills being
directed to the Provincial Councils, they could be taken up for debate
in Parliament.
Ajith P. Perera (UNP): These Bills have not been discussed at
Provincial Councils.
Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe : Has the Provincial Council
conveyed the decision of the provincial council or the decision of its
office?
Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody: This should be decided on the
instructions of the Attorney General. So I suspend sittings for 10
minutes.
The sittings were suspended at 2.35 pm and resumed at 3.30 pm by the
Deputy Speaker.
The Deputy Speaker stated that the Attorney General had informed that
as these matters came under the provincial council list, they should be
directed to the provincial councils and accordingly the Bills were
directed to the provincial councils.
After considering the matter at the provincial council, the decisions
had been informed to Parliament. In addition, as the period of one month
has lapsed, the Bills could be taken up for debate.
Later, the debate on the Bills and 10 regulations under the Finance
Act were taken up for debate.
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