Ravi denies reports on gazette discrepancies

Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake yesterday denied reports of discrepancies in the gazette notification pertaining to the Value Added Tax (VAT) amendment.

Quoting a statement from the government printer, the Minister said the gazette was never printed before putting the proposal to the Cabinet as alleged by joint opposition MP Bandula Gunawardene.

A gazette notification is usually issued on a Friday while supplements are issued thereafter till the following Friday. Accordingly, the VAT Amendment was included in the supplement on September 13. Therefore the Minister said the government printer had informed him that September 13 should be considered the date when the gazette had been issued.

Mr. Gunewardene earlier alleged that the gazette notification was issued prior to being tabled to the Cabinet of Ministers. He alleged that the VAT amendment had been gazetted on the 9th and then submitted to the Cabinet on the 13th. (Yohan Perera)

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