Anti-Corruption Bill approved by Parliament with major amendments

• One of the major amendments proposed by the opposition was that the legislation should be effective from the date the UN charter on corruption was approved by the member states

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana   

The Anti-Corruption Bill which was subjected to broad discussions by various individuals, organizations and even the international community was finally approved by Parliament yesterday with a record 190 amendments.   

The 190 amendments were proposed by both the ruling party and the opposition during the committee stage of the debate.   

The Government agreed to some amendments proposed by the opposition while others were rejected.   

One of the major amendments proposed by the opposition was that the legislation should be effective from the date the UN charter on corruption was approved by the member states. However Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe argues that there is no provision in the constitution to make a legislation effective from the date on which UN charters are approved. “We will have to amend the constitution if we are to include this amendment,” he said.   

The Minister claimed that the legislation have a retrospective effect as there are provisions for penalizing a person for an offence made under the earlier Bribery Commission Act.   
Bringing in laws to prevent corruption is a condition laid out by IMF to provide the extended fund facility to Sri Lanka.