A group of Parliamentarians in a letter to the Speaker said since action was not taken against a Member of the Opposition, who has been assigned for it to present the cut motion presented to cut traditionally from the Heads of Expenditure related to the Ministries at the Committee Stage Debate of Appropriation Bill 2022 scheduled to be taken up Monday, such debate could not be conducted.
Therefore, Members of the Government and the Opposition were deprived of the opportunity to present their views and proposals at the debate relevant to the Ministries scheduled to be taken up. “We believe that it is a breach of privileges of all the Members of the Government and the Opposition representing this House and also the general public who elected us to this Parliament,” the MPs stated.
“If this situation would continue until the 10th December which is the final day of the Third Reading of the Appropriation Bill, we would not be able to get the opportunity to present our views and proposals related to the Ministries scheduled to be taken up for debate on such dates. Therefore, it is unjust to violate rights and privileges of all the Members of the Government as well as the Opposition due to an action made by a certain group in the Opposition.
“Therefore, notwithstanding anything contained in the Standing Orders of Parliament, we the undersigned Members of the Government and the Opposition representing this Parliament request you to conduct the debates of Heads of Expenditure related to the Ministries to be taken up onwards at the Committee Stage and grant the opportunity to present our views and proposals at such debates,” the letter signed by 35 Parliamentarians further stated.
by Daily News Sri Lanka
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