ROSY’S‘ACT’WOULD BE TAKEN UP AT UPCOMING SESSIONS:SPEAKER

Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa had informed UNP MP Rosy Senanayake that the Local Authorities’ Elections Amendment Act which she presented in the form of a private members’ motion would be included in the order paper of the next Parliamentary sessions.

The UNP MP was prevented from presenting it to the House by the members of the government benches during the last sessions stating that the Attorney General had not approved it as per the standing orders.

Ms. Senanayake told a news conference yesterday that the government members including the Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardene shot down her effort to bring in laws making it compulsory for 33 percent women’s representation in local bodies just 24 hours after they assured to safeguard women’s rights. She said the government members including Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne assured her they would uphold women’s rights at the workshop organised by the Parliamentary Women’s Caucus which was held the day before she presented the Bill to the House. “I was saddened to see these people going back on their word,” she said.

She said the claim made by the member in the government benches was wrong as Standing Order 47 which sets out the procedure for presenting private members motions did not mention anything about seeking Attorney General’s approval

Besides, she said as per the article 77 of the Constitution the duty was cast on the Attorney General and not the member seeking leave to present a Bill.

Further she said this position had been confirmed by the Cabinet circular dated 30 May, 1979. She said if Mr. Gunawardene’s argument was correct, then every Bill must come along with a certificate from the Attorney General. This she said was because Article 77 of the Constitution did not differentiate between Bills, be they government, private member or Amending Bills.