The Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, announced today (09) that the Supreme Court has ruled the Presidents’ Entitlements (Repeal) Bill is not inconsistent with any provisions of the Constitution of Sri Lanka.
Accordingly, the Court determined that the bill can be passed in Parliament with a simple majority, he stated, while delivering the Court’s decision on the petitions filed against the bill.
The Speaker further noted that the petition challenging the bill was dismissed, as the petitioner had failed to invoke jurisdiction in line with the mandatory provisions of Article 121(1) of the Constitution.
Earlier, on 25th of August the Supreme Court had informed that its confidential determination on the bill—intended to abolish the privileges of retired Presidents—would be submitted to the Speaker.
Following an extensive hearing, a three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, Justice Achala Wengappuli, and Justice Sampath Abeykoon delivered the order, concluding the petitions filed against the bill.
The Presidents’ Entitlements (Repeal) Bill, which seeks to repeal the Presidents’ Entitlements Act, was presented in Parliament on 7th of August by Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara.
The bill, gazetted on July 31, was designed to revoke special privileges afforded to former Presidents and their widows. Earlier in July, the Cabinet had also approved the proposal to gazette and present the draft bill to Parliament.
