The Supreme Court has decided that neither the Surcharge Tax Bill nor any of its provision were not inconsistent with Article 12 or Article 13 of the Constitution announced, Deputy Speaker Ranjith Siyambalapitiya making Speaker’s Announcements today in Parliament.
The announcement is as follows; I wish to announce to Parliament that I have received the Determination of the Supreme Court in respect of the Bill entitled “SURCHARGE TAX” 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 had arrived at the conclusion that neither the Bill nor any of its provision is inconsistent with Article 12 or Article 13 of the Constitution.
The Supreme Court further states that in the circumstances the Bill entitled “SURCHARGE TAX” can be validly passed by a simple majority of the Legislature. I order that the Determination of the Supreme Court be printed in the Official Report of today’s proceedings of the House.
Tuesday, March 22, 2022 – 11:46