Fri, 29 Mar 2024 Today's Paper

President has power to allocate funds for any purpose: PM

3 May 2020 06:10 pm - 9     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A A A

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa today rejected the allegations made by the Opposition parties and said the President has complete authority to allocate funds for any purpose for which funds had not been allocated by Parliament.

In a statement, Mr. Rajapaksa said the Opposition claimed that the previous government had passed a Vote on Account up to the 30th of April and that therefore, after this date, the President has no authority to allocate funds for any purpose.

"This is an absurd argument. Under Article 150(3) of the Constitution, the President has complete authority to allocate funds for any purpose for which funds had not been allocated by Parliament. It goes without saying that if Parliament has already allocated funds for a given purpose, there is no need for the President to intervene in the matter. The opposition also alleges that the President is not reconvening Parliament with the ulterior motive of misusing the funds coming in from abroad for the anti-Coronavirus campaign. They contend that Parliament should be reconvened to supervise how that money is spent. All funds received by the government go to the Treasury via the Central Bank system. There are procedures that have to be followed in spending this money. Funds in the Treasury cannot be spent in the manner that yahapalana ministers spent the money of the Central Cultural Fund," Mr. Rajapaksa said.

He said after the new Parliament convenes, the opposition will have the opportunity to raise questions about how the government money was spent between the time of the dissolution of the old Parliament and the convening of the new Parliament.

"Until then they should refrain from misleading the public with blatant lies. At this moment, we should set politics aside and concentrate on controlling the Coronavirus outbreak and restoring normalcy to the lives of the people. We all saw the magnitude of the Coronavirus cluster that had formed among Navy personnel due to their involvement in the anti-Coronavirus campaign. I wish them all a speedy recovery. This highlights the personal risks taken in the service of the people by our health sector workers, and Army, Navy, Air Force, and Police personnel at the forefront of the battle against the Coronavirus pandemic. I call upon all members of the public to extend their fullest cooperation to these heroic individuals to enable them to fulfill their duties effectively," he said.


Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka

  Comments - 9

Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka
  • samantha Sunday, 03 May 2020 09:00 PM

    This whole argument is one sided and wrong.However it has to be decided by the supreme court. That is why we have a court system and highest court in the country. Individual persons are arguing only for their benefit. As what we can see in the constitution is president has no financial powers at all. Only parliament has the power to allocate money. yahapalana govt. has allocated enough money to pay for the all the spending and services up to April 30 Th. Then constitution says that president can authorized to spend money from the consolidated fund for the public services until the expiry of a period of three months from the date on which the new parliament is summoned to meet.remember that there is no date has fix to summoned the new parliament yet. Then the allocated money from the vote on account has already expired and there is no date has fixed to summoned the new parliament. No one has given any power to executive to spend for unspecified time from the consolidate fund

    Buddhist Sunday, 03 May 2020 09:04 PM

    If he is so sure why won't the PM or President petition the Supreme Court and get the answer? Why Baya?

    GHarry Sunday, 03 May 2020 10:54 PM

    Well said sir.

    Pantha Kumaran Sunday, 03 May 2020 11:06 PM

    If the President has the power. why we need parliament. Let the Rajapakses run the country. We are happy with that.

    DillonDP Monday, 04 May 2020 12:33 AM

    In all fairness I really don't think so, the parliament should reconvene at the soonest and relevant expenditure needs to be passed

    Shehan Monday, 04 May 2020 07:25 PM

    Typical 3rd world country law and order.

    Anura De Silva Tuesday, 05 May 2020 02:42 AM

    MR should know better why we dont want to allow the President to have exclusive powers to allocate money without any accountability or to answer to queries after the fact. For the intermediate, he should get advice from the Supreme Court as this is an unpresidential situation and lets hope the Supreme Court would recommend some sort of oversight conducted by a parliamentary select committee from all parties without offering a blank check to the rogue Rajapksas.

    Rosanna Tuesday, 05 May 2020 12:17 PM

    "President has power to allocate funds for any purpose". He did this even before he became president. as for the supreme court or any court in SL? no comment?

    ram Tuesday, 05 May 2020 12:41 PM

    get legal advise from Sarath N.Silva and make sure he won't change his stand later like helping hambantota case


Add comment

Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.

Reply To:

Name - Reply Comment





Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka

VAT increase: SOUNDs death knell for publishers, readers

Though the Government imposed VAT (Value Added Tax) on vegetables and other e

How female change-makers are driving Sri Lanka’s energy saving platform

Saving energy has become more of a responsibility than a habit in today’s c

A dull Ramadan awaits Muslims amidst the Soaring Cost of Living

In the coming days, Muslims across the world will welcome the Holy Month of R

New wildlife underpass to curtail HEC

As of February 2024, Sri Lanka lost another 38 elephants as a result of the H