Anti-Corruption Bill passed with amendments in Sri Lanka Parliament

The Anti-Corruption Bill was passed in Sri Lanka Parliament today (July 19) without a vote with 190 amendments.

The 190 amendments were proposed by both the ruling party and the opposition during the committee stage of the debate.

The government agreed to some amendments proposed by the opposition while others were rejected.

The Anti-Corruption Bill was surrounded by much controversy, however, as several parties, including Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL), had highlighted key concerns within the clauses of the Bill, stating that certain provisions of the Bill in question are ‘unconstitutional’.

Filing a petition in this regard, TISL challenged 37 clauses of the Anti-Corruption Bill in total, including clauses 28(3), 161 and 119, stating that they were disproportionate and could have a chilling effect on whistleblowing, the right to information and the freedom of expression, and could affect the concepts of transparency and accountability.