• It provides for the Judicial Service Commission to designate the nearest court of concurrent jurisdiction as alternative courts

 By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana   

The leaders of political parties representing Parliament yesterday decided to confine the sittings only for a day this week, Parliament media unit said yesterday.  

The House will meet only today to debate the COVID Special Provisions Bill. This Bill provides provisions for a person who had signed a contract for a loan by a bank or a finance company licensed under the Finance Business Act no 42 of 2011 relief if he is not unable to honour the contract due to the ongoing pandemic. It also provides relief pertaining to a hire-purchase agreement for plant, machinery and commercial vehicle or lease agreement for machinery or commercial vehicle, an event contract, tourism related contract , purchase of a house from a housing developer and an agreement for a purchase and sale of a commercial property.  

It provides for the Judicial Service Commission to designate the nearest court of concurrent jurisdiction as alternative courts, if the functioning of any court of first instance is disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.  
It also provides provisions to conduct court proceedings using remote communication technology such as live video or live television link.  

The decision to confine the sitting for a single day was made after some MPs and Parliament staff including a few attached to Parliament police unit were tested positive with COVID-19. 

• It also provides provisions to conduct court proceedings using remote communication technology
• Some MPs and Parliament staff including a few attached to Parliament police unit were tested positive with COVID-19