Presentation of country’s 75th budget:Three lawmakers absent

Three MPs were absent at the time of the presentation of the country’s 75th budget to Parliament yesterday by Prime Minister and Finance Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday.

All three MPs are either serving prison terms or in remand custody and were not brought to the House owing to the health guidelines and precautionary measures in place in Parliament in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. The MPs were SLPP Ratnapura District MP Premalal Jayasekera, TMVP leader Sivanesthurai Chandrakanthan and ACMC leader Rishad Bathiudeen.

Parliament sources said that the three MPs would be brought to Parliament on the days when votes would be taken and they would be provided separate chairs.

The vote on the second reading of the Budget 2021 is scheduled to take place at 5 pm on Nov 21. The final vote on the budget is scheduled to be taken at 5.00 pm on Dec 10.