June 30, Colombo (LNW): The Supreme Court has raised constitutional concerns over several provisions within the proposed Electricity Amendment Bill, according to a formal announcement made in Parliament by Deputy Speaker Dr Rizvie Salih.
Delivering the Court’s determination, Dr Salih informed the House that certain sections of the draft legislation have been deemed inconsistent with the Constitution.
As a result, these particular provisions—if left unaltered—would require not only the backing of a two-thirds majority in Parliament but also the endorsement of the public through a national referendum.
However, the Deputy Speaker went on to clarify that these constitutional barriers can be bypassed if the relevant sections of the bill are revised in accordance with the Supreme Court’s recommendations.
Such amendments would allow the legislation to proceed through Parliament under standard approval mechanisms, avoiding the need for a public vote.
