23 March 2022 09:27 am Views - 190
By Yohan Perera
The Prevention of Terrorism Amendment Temporary Provisions Bill was approved in Parliament with amendments without a vote yesterday.
The Opposition who called for the introduction of a new Counter Terrorism Bill called for a division but did not call for one during the third reading.
The division for the second reading was called by TNA MP M. S. Sumanthiran and Jathika Jana Balawegaya MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
The second reading was approved by a majority of 51 with 86 members voting for and 35 against. Some 103 members were absent during the time of voting.
The MPs who were absent included Wimal Weerawansa, Jayantha Weerasinghe, Nimal Lanza and Udaya Gammanpila who had resigned from their ministerial and state ministerial portfolios. Vasudeva Nanayakkara who also kept away from his ministerial duties voted in favour of the Bill during the second reading. MPs Susil Premajayantha who called for a new Counter Terrorism Bill, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, MP Maithripala Sirisena and Opposition MPs Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, Harin Fernando, Thalatha Athukorala, Kumara Welgama, Ranil Wickremesinghe and Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa were among other absentees. Minister of Foreign Affairs Professor G. L. Peiris who moved the debate assured that a new Counter Terrorism Bill which will include suggestions of all MPs including those from the Opposition will be introduced in due course. This was in response to many requests for a new Bill including Mr. Premadasa, Mr. Wickremesinghe and Patali Champika Ranawaka.