COLOMBO (News 1st)- Sri Lanka's Supreme Court has determined that the 'Bureau of Rehabilitation' bill as a whole is inconsistent with Article 12(1) of the Constitution and as such may be enacted only by the special majority required by Article 84(2) of the Constitution.However, However, this inconsistency shall cease if:(i) All references to “ex-combatants,” “violent extreme groups” and “any other group of persons” are deleted from the Bill;(ii) The Bill is limited to the rehabilitation of drug dependent persons and such other persons as may be identified by law.
Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena announced the Supreme Court's determination on Thursday (20) to parliament.The complete determination is as follows: I wish to announce to Parliament that I have received the Determination of the Supreme Court in respect of the Bill titled “BUREAU OF REHABILITATION” which was challenged in the Supreme Court in terms of Article 121(1)of the Constitution.On an overall consideration of the provisions of the Bill, the Supreme Court has made the following Determination:—A.
The Bill as a whole is inconsistent with Article 12(1) of the Constitution and as such may be enacted only by the special majority required by Article 84(2) of the Constitution.
However, this inconsistency shall cease if:(i) All references to “ex-combatants,” “violent extreme groups” and “any other group of persons” are deleted from the Bill;(ii) The Bill is limited to the rehabilitation of drug dependent persons and such other persons as may be identified by law.B.