It is reported that the proposal to extend this month’s emergency regulations passed in Parliament on September 06 has not yet been included in the Parliament’s agenda. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, through Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2243/3 issued on August 30, imposed Section 5 of the Public Security Act, or Emergency.
The proclamation issued by the President must be passed in Parliament within 14 days. The motion was tabled in Parliament on September 06 and was passed with 132 votes in favour and 51 against.
In imposing the state of emergency, President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa stated that its purpose was to “prevent, conceal, distribute, cripple, charge high prices and create market anomalies that cause inconvenience to consumers and for the welfare of consumers”. However, the government cancelled the gazette notification issued on September 29 to control the price of rice.
The opposition protesting against imposing emergency regulations stated Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) Act and the 1979 Essential Public Service Act, 1979 could be used instead of the emergency regulations.
