Eran asks Speaker if constitutional proprieties are upheld

SJB Member of Parliament Eran Wickramaratne raising a question under the Standing Orders, asked Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena whether the Constitutional Assembly, established as an independent institution, had approved the rules for approving Bills adhering to proper methods.

Wickramaratne also questioned whether the Secure Transactions Bill, which was taken up for debate in Parliament on Tuesday, had been referred to the Consultative Council (CC) of the concerned Ministry and received its approval.

In the recent past when Parliament hastily passed online security Act, there was no required oversight committee report for it. Therefore, this question is especially directed because when an act is passed, it should be done constitutionally and in accordance with standing orders, he said

Wickramaratne said that the amendments to be brought to the Secured Transactions Bill had not been submitted to the House so far.

He also asked the Speaker about the functioning of the Parliament’s oversight committees.

The Constitutional Council had previously formulated rules with the consent of all its members, the MP said. But the gazette given to the members of the House on 31st December 2023 and the gazette notification issued earlier had mentioned the rules and regulations but there was no mention that they had been approved by the CC.

“Have the rules published in that gazette been approved by the Constitutional Council? When were they approved? Did all the members agree? If not, how many agreed? Who were the members who participated in the meeting at that time?”

The Deputy Speaker, who was presiding oat the time said that these questions, raised according to the standing orders would be forwarded to the Speaker.