Govt. decides on 01-day debate on Port City Bill; turns down Opp. request

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Sri Lankan Government had disregarded the requests from the opposition and decided to proceed with a one-day debate on the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill, alleged JVP Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Friday (30).

Speaking to News 1st, Dissanayake said the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill which was presented to Parliament, was challenged in the Supreme Court and the Speaker of Parliament is yet to receive the determination on the bill. "The Government proposed to debate the bill on the 05th of May, even though the Supreme Court determination is not available as yet," he said adding given the situation the opposition proposed for the bill to be debated for a period of 02 days as opposed to the 01-day debate. However, the government had noted the determination will be available on the 04th of May and therefore, the debate must take place on the 05th of May, he said. Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court on the 23rd of April 2021 concluded the consideration of petitions filed challenging the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill and announced that the determination will be directed to the Speaker of Parliament. Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya nominated a full bench comprising five judges of the Supreme Court to hear Special Determination petitions filed challenging the constitutionality of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill. Accordingly, these petitions were heard before a five-judge-bench comprising Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, Justice Buwaneka Aluwihare, Justice Priyantha Jayawardena, Justice Murdu Fernando, and Justice Janak de Silva.