Abolition of Death Penalty Bill tabled

Abolition of Death Penalty Bill, which makes provisions to prevent the implementation of the death sentence, was presented to Parliament today.

The legislation, which comes in the form of a private member’s bill, was presented by UNP MP Bandulal Banadarigoda to the House last morning.

As per the Bill, the reference to any Act on the imposition of the death penalty shall be construed as punishable by imprisonment for life.

The Bill provides a transitional provision under which any person who has been subjected to death sentence before the enacting of it will be deemed as imprisonment for life. (Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana)