Ranil instructs John Amaratunga to submit the Right to Information Bill

The Leader of the Opposition has instructed Chief Opposition Whip John Amaratunga to submit a bill under the name the Right to Information as a Private Members Bill to Parliament.

In a communique released today the UNP states that the bill will be presented in Parliament on the 23rd
of this month by John Amaratunga.

The communique notes that the Opposition Leader has taken this measure as this has been recommended by the party as well as the LLRC report.

The UNP states that based on the bill approved by cabinet in 2003, Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe presented a private members bill known as the Right to Information.

The communique states that as the Secretary General of Parliament informed the Opposition Leader that he could not submit a private members bill at the time, Wickremasinghe instructed Karu Jayasuriya to submit it to Parliament.

Thereby, on the 23rd of September 2010, UNP MP Karu Jayasuriya submitted a Private Members Bill to Parliament.

According to the UNP, MP Karu Jayasuriya withdrew the bill after submitting it, as the Chief Government Whip had informed him that the government was in the process of introducing such an act.

The bill was once again submitted on the 21st of June 2011, after the speaker of the house stated that the private members bill in question could be submitted.

The UNP communique added however, that since the government voted against the bill, it was rejected.

Thereby, the Opposition Leader has instructed Chief Opposition Whip, John Amaratunga to present a fresh Private Members Bill to Parliament.

The communique by the UNP added that once Parliament convenes, the Chief Oppositon Whip will discuss the matter with the Speaker of the House.

Meanwhile, when inquired in this regard UNP MP Karu Jayasuriya stated that a new bill was prepared as the previous bill was rejected.

He stated that the bill was prepared following broad discussions with all sections of civil society.