​Limits number of terms of Diyawadana Nilame

30 January 2016 06:41 am Views - 3693

The Buddhist Temporalities’ (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to limit the number of terms a person could be appointed to the post of Diyawadana Nilame (DN) and authorises the Commissioner General of Buddhist Affairs to remove the DN from the post was presented to Parliament yesterday.

Section 11 of the Bill presented in Parliament by House Leader Lakshman Kiriella limits the terms of office to three. Currently there is no limit placed on the number of terms which a person could hold. Section 15 of the Bill gives powers to the Commissioner General of Buddhist Affairs to remove a Diyawadana Nilame from office if he acts in a manner which brings disrepute to the Buddha Sasana or the Dalada Maligawa after an inquiry conducted under the consent of the Most Venerable Maha Nayaka Theras of the Malwathu and Asgiri Chapters, Basnayake Nilames of the Sathara Maha Devales and
Section 16 of the Bill makes the Basnayake Nilame of Sathara Maha Devaleva eligible to act in place of Diyawadana Nilame in case of a vacancy.

The Bill further defines the Bikkhu in accordance with the Theravada traditions while another feature of the Bill is the prohibition of a person holding office of Basnayake Nilame in several devales at the same time. the District Secretary of Kandy.

Section 7A prevents any person holding the position of Diyawadana Nilame and Basnayake Nilame simultaneously.(Yohan Perera)