Second reading of Budget passed with two-thirds majority

By Saman Indrajith

The second Reading of the Appropriation Bill 2022 was passed in Parliament with a majority of 93 votes yesterday.

The Appropriation Bill 2022 received 153 votes in favour with 60 MPs voting against it.

The SJB, the JVP and the TNA voted against the Bill. Opposition MPs A. A. S. M. Raheem, Faizal Cassim, H.M.M. Harees, Ishak Rahuman and Naseer Ahmed,voted with the government for the Bill. MPs Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera and Diana Gamage also voted for the Bill.

Eleven MPs including Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe (SLPP), ITAK MPs Shanakiyan Rasamanickam and M.A. Sumanthiran, TMTK MP C.V. Vigneswaran and SJB MP Mano Ganesan were absent when the vote was taken.

The vote was taken after Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella requested a division.

The Bill was presented on 12 Nov by Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa. The second reading of the Bill was held from 13 November 22 Nov. The Committee Stage on the Bill would commence from today (23) onwards.

The Third Reading vote is scheduled for Dec 10 at 5:00 p.m.