Budget passed after marathon debate with 97-vote majority

TNA absent; JVP votes with SJB

19 lawmakers absent

E-voting system down again

By Saman Indrajith

The Budget 2021 was passed in Parliament, yesterday, with a majority of 97 votes. At the vote taken following the end of a lengthy 20-day debate at 6.04 pm, 151 MPs voted for it. The Opposition could muster only 54 votes.

The vote was scheduled for 5 pm, but it got delayed by one hour. When the vote was announced it was found that the electronic voting system was not working; the vote was taken row by row.

JVP voted with the SJB against the budget.

The 10-member TNA parliamentary group was absent. Among those not present at the time of the voting was one-time Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa. Altogether 19 lawmakers did not vote. Ishak Rahuman (SJB/Anuradhapura) and Ali Sabry Raheem (Muslim National Alliance/Puttalam) voted with the government.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said that not a single cent of the budget had been allocated with future elections in mind. “After Sir Edward Barnes, the biggest revolution in road construction in this country is taking place under this government and the budget proposals are there to provide for that. An allocation of Rs. 350 billion has been allocated for that purpose and all the people will benefit from it.

“As the Justice Minister mentioned during the debate, we intend to clear the backlog of cases running into thousands. For that purpose we increased the number of judges because we know that justice delayed is justice denied.”

Premier Rajapaksa in his capacity as the Minister of Finance presented the budget to Parliament on 17 Nov. and the second reading of the budget was held from Nov 18 to Nov 21. At the end of the second reading a vote was taken and the budget was passed by 99 votes with 151 voted in favour and 52 against.

The Committee Stage debate or the third reading of the Budget began from Nov 23 and ended yesterday (Dec 10).

The estimated Government revenue for 2021 is Rs. 1,961 billion and the total Government expenditure is Rs. 3,525 billion, leaving a deficit of Rs. 1,564 billion.