Urgent Bills in House next month

Parliament is set to take up for debate, when it meets in October, four urgent Bills including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Bill which have been referred by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to the Supreme Court for determination.

The Covenant came into force in 1976 and Sri Lanka gave accession to it in 1980. The Bill will give legal effect to the contents of the Covenant.

The other Bills that have been referred to the Supreme Court to be taken as Urgent Bills are the Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Bill and the Drug Dependent Persons (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Bill.
The Local Authorities (Special Provisions) Bill too is scheduled to be taken up as an urgent bill next month.