Appropriation Bill passage sets stage for Constitutional deadlock

The Government passed the 2013 Appropriation Bill after moving an amendment that completely contravened the Supreme Court ruling about the clauses of the bill, UNP lawmaker Dr. Harsha De Silva charged yesterday.

He said that the Supreme Court had ruled that Clauses 2 (1) and 7 (b) were inconsistent with Article 148 of the Constitution, which gives Parliament full control of public finance and recommended that the bill be amended accordingly. The Court in its ruling said that the Government should seek approval of parliament before obtaining loans.

“The Government, on the instructions of the Attorney General instead moved an amendment to the effect that the loans would be obtained and the Government would then notify Parliament about the details at the end of year,” De Silva explained.

The choice by the ruling party to ignore the Supreme Court ruling had paved the way for a major deadlock between the three branches of the State when the Government approached lenders for loans, given the Supreme Court ruling that makes Parliamentary approval a prerequisite in order to do so, the UNP MP said.