Public expenditure gets Parliament approval 

Expenditure heads of 22 institutions, including that of the President and the Office of the Prime Minister, received House approval in Parliament yesterday, without a vote or amendments.

Even though the Government backbenchers rallied and openly criticised the President for violating the Constitution, no UNP lawmaker proposed to take the division. Without any major incidents, they allowed the President’s expenditure head worth Rs. 13,560 million to be passed at the day’s end. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also confirmed to Parliament that there is no requirement for a vote.Among the other expenditure heads taken up for debate yesterday included Judges of the Superior Courts, Office of the Cabinet of Ministers, Public Service Commission, Judicial Service Commission, National Police Commission, Administrative Appeals Tribunal, Commission to Investigate Allegation of Bribery or Corruption, Office of the Finance Commission, National Education Commission, Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, Parliament, Office of the Leader of the Opposition, Offices of the Chief Government and Opposition Whips, Leader of the House of Parliament, Elections Commission, National Audit Office, Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, Audit Service Commission, National Procurement Commission, and Delimitation Commission.

 Parliament is expected to take the expenditure head of National Policies, Economic Affairs, Resettlement and Rehabilitation, Northern Province Development, Vocational Training and Skills Development and Youth Affairs for debate this morning, with the Committee Stage starting at 10 am.(AH)