Protests against tax bills launched
The opposition parties in Sri Lanka have vowed to protest if the Speaker validate tax bills recently passed in the parliament.
Main opposition and a breakaway faction of the ruling party are organising a protest campaign against the five bills on tax and fiscal amendments passed on Thursday. Speaker in the parliament WJM Lokubandara who declared the bills were legally passed with a majority of 25 is yet to approve them. 'Violating' constitution Sri Lanka Freedom Party (m) MP Sripathi Sooriyaarachchi said the five bills were not passed according to parliamentary Standing Orders. Sooriyaarachchi said Lokubandara would be violating the country's constitution if he signs the bills. "We will launch huge campaign to demand his resignation if he signs the bills," the SLFP (m) parliamentarian told journalists in Colombo. Lokubandara reminded of MPs' democratic right to vote a new speaker when the opposition on Friday urged a party leaders' meeting to resolve the matter. "I made the ruling according to my conscience. If you want me to resign please let me know," he told the House. 'Swich off' mobile phones The main opposition, United National Party (UNP), is meanwhile calling for the public to switch off their mobile phones on Monday 17 September as a protest against increasing the tariffs. 26 per cent of Sri Lanka's population, UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said, are using mobile phones in Sri Lanka. "We urge all mobile phone users to switch off their phones during 9-11 am," Attanayake said. The opposition parties also vowed to launch a island-wide campaign against the tax bills. The aim of the bills is said to be introduced to increase the state revenue introducing more taxes. The dispute on Thursday ended up in a punch up between the members of different parties. However the speaker announced that all five bills had become law during the scuffle. According to the reporters, the members were certainly bruised but not injured.