The Supreme Court yesterday concluded arguments put forward in support and against the Bill titled, Value Added Tax (Amendment) through the Special Determination Petitions and all parties in the petition were directed to file written submissions on or before October 19.
The Supreme Court’s determination over the proposed Bill is to be communicated to the Speaker. The Supreme Court bench comprised Chief Justice K. Sripavan, Justice Anil Goonaratne and Justice Prasanna Jayawardena.
Four petitions including Parliamentarians Bandula Gunawardena, Udaya Gammanpila and Sisira Jayakody filed the Special Determination Petitions seeking a declaration that the concerned Bill shall become law only through a two-thirds majority in Parliament and the approval of the people at a referendum.
The petitioners stated that a Bill titled, Value Added Tax (Amendment) was presented to the Parliament and placed on the Order Paper of the Parliament on October 4.
The petitioners states that the long title of the proposed Act states as AN ACT TO AMEND THE VALUE ADDED TAX ACT, NO. 14 OF 2002.
The petitioners states that clauses 17, 4, 13 and 18 of the said Bill, are in violation of Articles 3, 4(d), 12(1), 12(2), and 14(1)(g) of the Constitution. President's Counsel Manohara Silva with senior counsel Kanishka Vitharana appeared for the petitioners.
Additional Solicitor General Farzana Jameel appeared on behalf of the Attorney General.
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