2024-01-04
A special meeting was recently held in the Parliament under the chairmanship of the Minister of Justice, Prisons Affairs and Constitutional Reforms, Hon. (Dr.) Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, to obtain ideas for the legal amendments to be made in order to increase the state revenue. Accordingly, there was a discussion at length about bringing necessary legal amendments to regulate the Inland Revenue Department, Sri Lanka Customs and Excise Department.
Hon. Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Chair of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Economic and Physical Plans, addressing the meeting, explained that the Inland Revenue Department had been brought before the Sectoral Oversight Committee on several occasions and stated that there were a number of issues identified. The Chair further explained that any person can stay for 15 years without paying taxes. The Inland Revenue Department has 30 months under the existing Act to assess a tax file and another 24 months to consider appeals. Accordingly, a tax file remains in the Inland Revenue Department for more than 54 months and post appealing to the Tax Appeals Commission, they receive 2 years according to the Act, he said. Thereafter, appeals can be made to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court and it will consume approximately 15 years, he said.
The officials of the Inland Revenue Department addressing the meeting stated that the arrears tax revenue due on 30.06.2023 is 943 billion rupees, and the amount cannot be recovered due to various reasons is 767 billion rupees and the recoverable amount is 175 billion rupees. Moreover, the officials further explained that 37 billion rupees have been collected as tax arrears this year.
Once the tax report is received by the Inland Revenue Department on or before the 30th of November every year, the officials who explained the process pointed out that after receiving the tax report, the relevant officer will enter the information into the RAMIS system and identify cases where there are problems, and then an audit will be conducted, and that in some cases further information will be brought to make some clarifications. The officials also pointed out that in cases where such information is requested, often the tax holders deliberately delay the information.
The officials pointed out that the existing Act has 30 months for the tax report to be audited by the officer and after that there is another two years to hear the appeal after appealing to the Commissioner General. The Committee was of the view that the current pried of two (02) years for the Commissioner to hear appeals is too long and it is desirable to reduce it to six (06) months. However, if the decision is not given within 06 months, it should be assumed that the assessment amount will not change, the Minister of Justice said. Therefore, it was suggested that the Act should be amended to require that taxpayers should pay at least 50% of the assessed amount if they appeal to the Tax Commission.
The powers of the Tax Appeals Commission were also discussed in the Committee. Accordingly, the attention of the Committee was focused on making some amendments to the Tax Appeals Commission Act. Currently, the Tax Appeals Commission has 270 days to hear an appeal and the Minister pointed out the need to give some time frame for that. The Committee decided that the Tax Appeals Commission should consider only the existing questions about the assessment amount or calculations and if there is any objection to the basic issues, then the necessary amendment to the Act should be brought for appeal to the Court of Appeal.
The Committee was of the opinion that it is appropriate to reduce the 30-month period to one year for the assessment of the Act. After a long discussion, the Committee decided to keep the 30 months as it is, but it is appropriate to give the necessary power to the Minister of Finance to change the period through the Gazette in cases where necessary.
Accordingly, as an amendment to the Act, it was proposed to include in the Act that after receiving the tax appeal to the Commissioner General, his order should be given within 6 months and if not, it is assumed that the initial assessment is final and permanent. Accordingly, if the taxpayer does not agree with the decision, he can appeal to the Tax Appeals Commission within one month. The Tax Appeals Commission shall render its decision within six (06) months and the Tax Appeals Commission shall only have the power to inquire into the existing calculations of the assessed amount by the Inland Revenue Department. Other preliminary objections such as questions of law may be appealed to the Court of Appeal. It was also suggested in the Act that the appeal court should also be given a certain time frame, that is, the appeal should be heard within one year.
The Minister of Justice also agreed to establish a special court complex within the judicial system to hear tax appeals.
The Committee decided to draft amendments to the Inland Revenue Department Act by incorporating the matters raised in this discussion by the Attorney General and the legal draftsman and after preparing the amendment, the Committee decided to meet and discuss again in the next day in Parliament.
2026-09-08
The Co-Chairs of the Parliamentary Caucus for Open Parliament Initiative stated that steps will be taken to present to Parliament the views and proposals put forward during the “Voice to Policy” dialogue series organized for youth, with the aim of promoting the concept of an Open Parliament.They made these remarks while participating in the “Voice to Policy” programme held last Saturday (Sep. 05) at the Golden Crown Hotel in Kandy for youth in the Kandy District. The Co-Chairs of the Parliamentary Caucus for Open Parliament Initiative, Hon. Minister Prof. Krishantha Abeyasena and Hon. Member of Parliament Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam, participated in the programme.The first programme of the “Voice to Policy” dialogue series was held in the Gampaha District, the second in the Batticaloa District, and the third in the Kandy District. Members of the Caucus, Hon. Members of Parliament S.M. Marikkar, Attorney-at-Law Susanta Dodawatte, Attorney-at-Law Chamindrani Kiriella, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasinghe, Lal Premanath, Major General (Retired) G.D. Sooriyabandara and M.K.M. Aslam, as well as Assistant Secretary-General of Parliament Mr. Hansa Abeyratne and others, participated in the programme held in Kandy.The young people who participated in the programme representing the Kandy District identified the challenges they face under five key themes: economic opportunities and employment; public administration and accountability; social inclusion and justice; political participation and representation; and other matters.They also proposed solutions to the identified issues and identified the relevant government institutions that could be held responsible for addressing them. The young participants subsequently presented the issues and proposals to members of the Caucus. Based on these proposals, an extensive dialogue was held between representatives of the Parliamentary Caucus for Open Parliament Initiative and the youth of the Kandy District.Members of the Caucus stated that their objective is to bring the views and proposals of youth to Parliament. They further assured that steps would be taken to submit to Parliament a report containing the views and proposals presented during the “Voice to Policy” programmes conducted to date, and to take the necessary measures to further engage young people with parliamentary processes and activities.The programme was sponsored by CII (Coalition for Inclusive Impact).
2026-09-07
The Select Committee of Parliament to conduct a comprehensive study on the lack of preparedness to face Cyclone Ditwah and report to Parliament and submit its proposals and recommendations in that regard recently questioned senior officials of the Sri Lanka Police who were involved in responding to the disaster at the time.The questioning took place when the Committee met recently at Parliament under the chairmanship of Hon. Minister (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa.Accordingly, a group of Senior Superintendents of Police and Superintendents of Police from the districts affected by Cyclone Ditwah were summoned before the Committee.Former Member of Parliament Nimal Piyatissa was also summoned before the Committee. He was called to provide detailed information regarding comments he made to the media concerning the measures taken in response to the cyclone at the time it occurred.Members of Parliament serving on the Committee also participated in the meeting.
2026-09-07
The 13th meeting of the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities was held recently at Parliament under the chairmanship of Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva, Chair of the Caucus.The meeting focused on the draft action plan of the Caucus prepared for the period from July 2026 to June 2027, and discussions were held on its implementation going forward.Prepared with the technical assistance of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), the action plan has been developed under four key areas: parliamentary coordination and oversight; budget advocacy and accountability; legal and policy reforms; and accessible and inclusive public services. The meeting discussed future actions relating to each of these areas.IFES Sri Lanka Deputy Director Mr. Indraka Ubesekara, Senior Programme Officer Ms. Anojitha Sivaskaran, and National Council for Persons with Disabilities member Mr. Tikiri Kumara Jayawardena briefed the Caucus on the work carried out to date and the plans for the future.The importance of incorporating the views and needs of persons with disabilities into planning at the local level was also highlighted. Based on the experiences of district-level consultation programmes conducted in Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Kalutara and Polonnaruwa, it was noted that a similar programme is scheduled to be held in the Hambantota District in the future.Discussions were also held on establishing an appropriate mechanism to ensure the active participation of the disability community in the preparation of local development plans through district-level accessibility audit committees and district coordinating committees. It was further pointed out that incorporating accessibility features from the initial stages of building and urban planning can help minimize the costly modifications that may otherwise be required at a later stage.The meeting was also informed that a report comprising 234 policy and practical proposals, prepared with the participation of nearly 60 organizations representing the disability community for the 2027 National Budget, has already been submitted to the Presidential Secretariat, the Ministry of Finance and relevant government institutions. The Caucus decided to closely monitor how these proposals are implemented and whether they result in tangible benefits for persons with disabilities.Attention was also drawn to further strengthening the existing legal and policy framework to safeguard the rights of persons with disabilities and ensure accessibility. It was decided to hold a special discussion with officials of the relevant ministries and the Legal Draftsman’s Department to inquire into the progress of the proposed “New Bill on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities” and the “Sign Language Bill”, which are currently being drafted.The meeting also discussed the need to update existing legal provisions and standards relating to accessibility for persons with disabilities in line with international best practices. Proposals were put forward to introduce accessibility guidelines for private-sector institutions and gradually incorporate them into the legal framework, as well as to implement a pilot project with several selected private institutions.Special attention was also given to making public services more accessible and inclusive. The meeting discussed the findings of accessibility audits conducted at the Ministry of Labour’s “Mehewara Piyasa” building and Sethsiripaya Buildings Phases I and II. It was also noted that steps have been taken to ensure that the construction of Sethsiripaya Phase III is designed to be accessible to persons with disabilities from the outset.In addition, programmes such as low-floor bus services, accessible tourism for persons with disabilities, and the “Friendly Cities” programme were identified as models for improving accessibility within public services. Attention was also drawn to removing accessibility barriers faced by persons with disabilities when accessing healthcare services.Addressing the meeting at its conclusion, the Chair of the Caucus, Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva, stated that one of the Caucus’s primary objectives is to create an environment in which the disability community can lead free, independent and dignified lives without fear or uncertainty.The Chair further stated that Parliament would continue to fulfil its role in giving priority to the voices of persons with disabilities when making decisions concerning them, and in ensuring their participation in every sector of society. He also expressed his appreciation to all Members of Parliament, IFES and other stakeholders who have contributed to this work.The meeting was attended by Hon. Members of Parliament, including (Dr.) Nihal Abeysinghe, Attorney-at-Law Susantha Dodawatte, Padmasiri Bandara, (Dr.) Elayathamby Srinath, Attorney-at-Law Bhagya Sri Herath and Chandima Hettiarachchi, among others.
2026-09-03
The Committee on Ways and Means of Parliament recently reviewed the operations of Sri Lanka Customs, including its revenue performance. The matter was considered when the Committee met recently under the chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament Wijesiri Basnayake.Officials, including the Director General of Customs, informed the Committee that the expected Customs revenue as of June 30, 2026, was Rs. 1,060,559 million, while actual revenue collected by that date amounted to Rs. 1,379,084 million. This represented 130% achievement against the expected revenue target. Officials further informed the Committee that Customs had generated revenue exceeding the monthly targets in every month of the year to date, and that, compared with 2025, higher revenue performance had been recorded in each month.Providing information on vehicle imports in 2026, officials stated that 316,000 vehicles had been imported as of June 30, 2026, generating Rs. 512,547 million in tax revenue. According to the information presented to the Committee, the highest amount of tax revenue, Rs. 386,726 million, had been generated through the importation of motor vehicles.Furthermore, among the categories of commodities generating the highest Customs revenue, petrol motor cars less than 1,000cc ranked first, generating Rs. 137.4 billion. This represented 9.96% of total revenue.The Committee also focused on matters including the volume of imported containers and the procedures followed for their inspection, the introduction of modern technology to improve the efficiency of Sri Lanka Customs operations, challenges in revenue administration, and future plans.Several Members of the Committee on Ways and Means, together with officials representing the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and Sri Lanka Customs, participated in the Committee meeting.
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