SC: 2/3 majority needed for passage of Online Safety Bill in its present form

The Supreme Court has determined that the government needs a special majority to pass the Online Safety Bill in its present form.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ajith Rajapaksha reading out the Speaker’s Announcements to the House at the time of the commencing of sitting of Parliament, yesterday, said that the Supreme Court had said that as per the provisions of Article 84 (2) of the Constitution, the sections 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14,15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 36, 37, 42, 45, 53, and 56 needed to be passed with a special majority of votes.

The court had also determined that if the government amends those sections of the draft Bill in question, the Bill could be passed with a simple majority in Parliament, the Deputy Speaker said.