(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) – The Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana announced the Supreme Court’s determination on the Inland Revenue Amendment Bill during today’s Parliamentary session.
Accordingly, the court has determined that the Inland Revenue Amendment Bill can be passed by a simple majority of the legislature.
The Supreme Court has held that neither the bill which was challenged in the court nor any of its provisions is inconsistent with Article 12 of any provisions of the constitution, the Speaker added.
Last week, the Supreme Court concluded the deliberations of the petitions filed challenging the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Draft Bill, which was presented to the Parliament by the government.
The petitions had been filed by two persons including Chaturanga Abeysinghe, an activist of the National People’s Power (NPP), alleging that if passed in Parliament, the proposed bill will revise a number of levies and will also further empower the Inland Revenue Department as the primary agent for collecting taxes and dealing with issues arising with taxes on behalf of the government.
