Second Reading of Budget 2023 passed with majority of 37

SJB, JVP, SLFP and SLPP dissidents vote against Budget

By Saman Indrajith

The second reading of Budget 2023 was passed with a majority of 37 votes in Parliament yesterday.

The vote taken at 6 pm received 121 votes in favour and 84 votes against.

The SJB, JVP, SLFP and SLPP dissidents voted against the Budget.

The vote on the second reading had originally been scheduled for 5 pm yesterday but later was put off till 6 pm.

Tamil Makkal Thesiya Kootan (TMTK) MP CV Wigneswaran abstained from voting.

The debate on the Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill for the fiscal year 2023 commenced in Parliament at 9.30 a.m. on 15 Nov.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, presented the Budget to Parliament on 14 Nov.

The debate on the committee stage of the Appropriation Bill is listed to commence today and continue until 08 Dec., except on Sundays.

The final vote on the Budget is scheduled at 5 pm on 08 Dec.

It is the 77th budget of independent Sri Lanka.