SC determines VAT Amendment Bill not inconsistent with Constitution

The Supreme Court has determined that the proposed Value Added Tax (VAT) Amendment Bill as a whole is not inconsistent with the Constitution.

The determination of the Supreme Court was announced in Parliament by Speaker of House Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

Speaker Abeywardena said the Supreme Court based on submissions made during the hearing of the petitions, has proposed certain amendments to the Bill.

The Supreme Court’s confidential determination pertaining to the constitutionality of the Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill that was presented in Parliament by the government was directed to Speaker of the House Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena last month.

The determination was issued after the conclusion of the hearing of two petitions filed requesting that certain clauses in the VAT (Amendment) Bill be declared unconstitutional.

The petitions were considered before a three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, and Justices S. Thurairajah and Arjuna Obeysekera.