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.
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