SC ruling on Divi Neguma bill presented in Parliament
November 6, 2012 01:22 pm
The Parliament Speaker
announced the Supreme Court ruling on the Divi Neguma Bill a short while ago
while the second reading will be presented by Minister Basil Rajapaksa.
The Supreme Court ruled
that certain clauses of the draft bill had to be approved by a majority in the
parliament as well as through a public referendum.
The ruling containing 12
paragraphs was presented to the Speaker a short while ago.
The Divi Neguma bill and
Appropriation bill 2013 were presented to Parliament on October 9.
Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa had informed the
Parliament that the Governors of Provinces have in turn informed the President
that the Divi Neguma draft bill had been passed in all established Provincial
Councils.
The
Supreme Court earlier informed that the ‘Divi Neguma’ Draft Bill should receive
the approval of all Provincial Councils as it comes within the scope of the
Provincial Councils, the Speaker of Parliament said.
Therefore steps were taken to forward the draft
bill to the country’s provincial councils in order to obtain approval.
The government is looking to set up a Divi
Neguma Department under the bill, which will take over the existing Samurdhi
Authority, the Southern Development Authority and the Upcountry Development
Authority.
The Bill will also set up a Divi Neguma
Community Based Organisation, Divi Neguma Community Based Banks and Banking
Societies.
However a petition was filed challenging the
bill, claiming it was harmful to the country, and the Supreme Court had
informed its verdict to the Speaker.
