Parliament to debate Election Expenditure Bill despite opposition protests

Parliament will take up the Regulation of Election Expenditure Bill today amidst protests by the opposition. 

The decision to debate the Bill today was taken at the meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business held  yesterday. 

The debate will be held from 10.30 am to 5.00 pm.

Several opposition parties including the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and National People's Power (NPP) have strongly protested the move to debate the bill at a time when nominations are being accepted for the upcoming local government election. 

Both Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and NPP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake have alleged that the bill is being fast-tracked by the government with the aim of postponing the local government election. They claim that if the bill is adopted now without the inclusion of an interim clause stating that it will not apply to the upcoming election, it will make it virtually impossible for the Election Commission to hold the election as scheduled.