The Online Safety Bill was passed in Parliament this evening with amendments.
At the end of the debate on the Second Reading of the Bill, at around 5.00 pm today, Chief Opposition Whip, Lakshman Kiriella called for a division. Accordingly, 108 votes were cast in favor of the Bill and 62 votes were cast against it. Thus, the Second Reading of the Bill was passed by a majority of 46 votes.
Thereafter, amendments were added to the Bill during the Committee stage and MP Chandima Weerakkody called for a Division bringing in an amendment to section 36 of the draft Bill. Accordingly, 51 votes were cast in favor of the amendment and 92 votes were cast against. Thus, the said amendment was defeated by a majority of 41 votes.
The Third Reading of the Bill was then passed without a vote.
The Cyclonic Storm “Ditwah” moved further north from Trincomalee today evening leaving a trail of destruction including more than 90 deaths, over 100 missing and tens of thousands displaced, officials said.
A third rescue attempt to save 28 people trapped on the rooftop of a farm building in Vithikuliya, Nikaweratiya, has failed due to the dangerous water surge from the Deduru Oya.
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All passengers of a bus swept away by rising floodwaters on the Kalawewa Bridge along the Anuradhapura–Puttalam road have been rescued, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda said.
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