Budget after House reopens
Finance Minister K.N. Choksy is set to present the second Budget of the UNF government when Parliament re-convenes after the prorogation of the legislature lapses on Wednesday.

The earlier date for the Budget presentation was November 12 but it could not be done because of the President's decision to prorogue Parliament till November 19.
Despite the prorogation, Parliament has been a hive of activity in the past week with both Government and Opposition MPs meeting Speaker Joseph Michael Perera to let him know their views on the issue.

Government members handed over a letter to the Speaker early last week asking him to rule on two issues they raised in the letter. They were whether in the light of the President's actions, it is necessary for Parliament in the exercise of its judicial powers, (a) to determine the extent of its own powers during a prorogation and (b) to examine whether the mandate given to the government at the general elections in December, 2001 to find a negotiated settlement to the ethnic problem and arrive at a political solution to bring peace to Sri Lanka, has in any way been jeopardised or thwarted.

The Government MPs have cited Article 4 of the Constitution which provides for the people's legislative power to be exercised through Parliament. Meanwhile, a group of Opposition parliamentarians lead by Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapakse met the Speaker and handed him a letter stating that any attempt to reconvene Parliament before November 19, the day when the prorogation is set to lapse, is an illegal act and urged the Speaker not to do so.

The Opposition request came amidst reports that government legislators were asking the Speaker to re-convene Parliament before November 19. Meanwhile, the staff in Parliament has been instructed to prepare for sittings from Wednesday despite the possibility of the dissolution of Parliament also being on the cards.

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