Discussion to amend Bhikku Kathikawath Bill

The Chief Adikarana Sangha Nayake of Colombo Nava Korale Ven. Diviyagaha Yasassi Thera said today several proposals were put forward to amend the Bhikku Kathikawath Bill at a meeting held at the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress yesterday morning with the participation of the Maha Nayake theras including Ven. Pahamune Sumangala Thera, Ven. Akuretiye Nanda Thera, Ven. Thrikunamale Ananda Thera and representatives of the Buddhist Affairs Ministry.
Ven. Yasassi Thera said they discussed about the Theravada Bhikku Kathikawath Bill which was presented to parliament and that they completely agreed with the Supreme Court ruling on certain clauses of the Bill.

“We totally agree with the Supreme Court ruling. We suspect that certain amendments to the Bill have been made to create issues among the Bhikkus. The Bhikku Kathikawatha we drafted earlier, did not include those amendments that the Supreme Court gave a ruling on. If the original Bill we created was presented, there would not have been any issue and everyone would have approved it without any doubt,” the Thera said.

He said that the Bhikkus requested this Bill to be brought in for the past fifty years and that it was the responsibility of the government to enact this Bill after the necessary amendments were made at the committee stage in parliament without getting it delayed any further.(Ajith Siriwardana)