February 27, Colombo (LNW): The debate surrounding the 2025 Appropriation Bill, also known as the 79th Budget Speech, is set to begin today (27) in Sri Lanka’s Parliament, marking the commencement of the crucial Committee Stage.
This stage, which will scrutinise the bill in detail, is expected to span over 19 days, including four Saturdays, running from February 27 through to March 21.
The Committee Stage provides a platform for Parliament members to discuss specific provisions of the budget before it proceeds to the final vote.
Following these extensive deliberations, the vote on the third and final reading of the bill will take place on March 21 at 6.00 p.m., after which the budget is expected to be passed into law.
On February 25, Parliament successfully passed the Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill with a majority of 109 votes. Out of the 201 votes cast, 155 were in favour, and 46 were against, setting the stage for the more detailed review in the Committee Stage.
The passage of the Second Reading was an important milestone in the budgetary process, and now the attention shifts to the in-depth scrutiny that will occur during the Committee Stage debates.
Earlier this month (17), President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, also serving as the Minister of Finance, formally introduced the Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill in Parliament. The debate on the bill lasted for seven days, from February 18 to February 25, allowing for a thorough exchange of views on the proposed allocations for the year 2025.
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