The Second Reading of the Appropriation (Amendment) Bill for 2015, presented to Parliament by the new government, has been passed with a majority of 163 votes with 164 members voting in favor and a single MP voting against.
Ten Members of Parliament (MPs) have abstained from voting.
MP Ajith Kumara, who was elected to Parliament from the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) and later broke away to form the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP), was reportedly the only MP who voted against the Interim Budget.
Meanwhile MPs Dinesh Gunawardena, D.E.W. Gunasekera, Prof. Tissa Vitharana, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Wimal Weerawansa, Y.G. Pathmasiri, Geethanjana Gunawardena, Chandrasiri Gajadeera, Weerakumara Dissanayake and Sriyani Wijewickrama abstained.
Ravi Karunanayake, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, presented the Interim Budget for the fiscal year of 2015 to Parliament on January 29. It included several amendments to the budget tabled by the previous government.
In line with the mandate of the new government led by President Maithripala Sirisena, the Budget 2015 reduced prices of certain essential items.
One litre of kerosene was reduced by Rs. 6, a kilo of sugar reduced by Rs. 10, a packet of 400 gram milk powder reduced to Rs. 325, tax on wheat flour reduced by 10%, bringing wheat flour prices down by Rs. 12.50 and a loaf of bread by Rs. 6.
