A former Deputy Secretary of the Ceylon Bank Employees Union (CBEU) yesterday filed a Special Determination petition in Supreme Court, seeking a declaration that the Bill titled ‘Finance’ requires the approval by the people at a referendum in addition to the two-thirds approval of Parliament. 

The petitioner, Ekeshwara Kottegoda Vithana, filed this petition through Attorney-at-Law Dharshana Weraduwage, in terms of Article 121 of the Constitution read with Article 120, the constitutional jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.

The Bill titled ‘Finance’ was placed on the Order Paper of Parliament on 20 July 2021.

The petitioner states that clauses 3,4,5 and 6 of the Bill makes unequal treatment on taxpayers, giving full immunity from liability to pay any tax, penalty or interest or from any investigation or prosecution under the provisions of the law.

He said such treatment was a violation of the Fundamental Rights of the taxpayers who had already submitted their tax returns on time and had duly paid their taxes under applicable rates.

He also stated that clause 7 of the Bill violated the citizens Right to Information and Sri 

Lanka’s various international and domestic obligations concerning anti-money laundering, anti-corruption or terrorist financing. The petitioner reiterated that such provisions were a serious threat to the national security of the country, which includes economic security as well. 

The petitioner has named the Attorney General as a respondent in terms of Article 134(1) of the Constitution.

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