UNP MP Bandulalal Bandarigoda yesterday said the Death Sentence Amendment Bill will be taken up for debate in parliament shortly.

Mr. Bandarigoda told a press conference that the legislation will be taken up for debate shortly as there was no legal barrier for it to go ahead. He said leaders of the political parties who represented parliament would decide on the date of the debate soon.

MP Bandarigoda presented the Death Sentence Abolition Bill to Parliament in the form of a private member's Bill a few weeks ago.

“Three petitions were filed in favour of the Bill and there were dismissed by the Supreme Court after the Attorney General said there was no need for petitions in favour of it. The Attorney General never argued against the Bill. Therefore there was no reason why parliament cannot take it up for debate,” the MP said.

“Some argue that I have brought this Bill to protect hardcore criminals. Those who say so should prove that I am associated with such people,” he added.

The MP said that the death sentence was not an effective solution to prevent drug trafficking. He said converting the prisons into rehabilitation camps was a far more effective way to prevent the social evil.

“One should hang the rulers who are unable to stop the drug trafficking rather than subjecting those who are caught with few grams of heroin,” he also said. (Yohan Perera)