Budget 2013 passed with majority of 101 votes

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

Budget 2013 was passed in Parliament yesterday with a majority of 101 votes. The Appropriation Bill 2013 received 158 votes in favour and 57 against it. The UNP, TNA and DNA members voted against the bill. When the debate of the third reading stage was concluded , opposition members raised points of order to the effect that the Supreme Court in its determination on the Appropriation Bill had ruled that two clauses of the Bill were not consistent with the Constitution and demanded to know whether the government would amend them.

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe told the House if amendments are not made to two clauses in the Bill in line with its determination, it would violate the constitutional provision giving Parliament full control over public finance as they provide too much discretion to the executive in the disbursement and raising of public funds.

Clause 7(B) of the Appropriation Bill contravenes the full control of public finance which belongs rightfully to Parliament in terms of Article 148. And provisions contained in clause 2(1) (b) of the said Appropriation Bill contravene Article 148 of the Constitution and is therefore inconsistent with the Constitution. Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa said that the Supreme Court determination did not specify how the clauses are to be amended therefore the matter was referred to the Attorney General and the AG informed his opinion that the Bill could be passed with a special majority. Then the Leader of the House moved the House for a vote and the Opposition asked for a division by name.

The result of the first vote was announced around 6.10p.m. and when the amended clauses of the Bill were read out to the House the Opposition demanded a division for the two clauses in question. The vote taken for Clause two of the bill received 159 votes in favour and 58 votes against it. The vote taken for Clause seven of the Appropriation Bill received 158 votes in favour and 57 votes against it. The final vote was taken around 6.30 pm and the Opposition called for a division by name and the results were announced around 6.40 pm.