Free vote on anti- conversion bill
The UPFA government is planning to allow its MPs to vote according to their conscience when the Bill against unethical religious conversions comes up in Parliament.

UPFA sources told The Sunday Times that due to serious differences in personal opinion among members of the government, there would be no collective decision.

Some senior UPFA members, including Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, have already come out openly and strongly against the anti-conversion bill introduced by the government while the JHU has also introduced its own bill with tougher provisions.

Several petitions against the bill have already been filed in courts with more to follow. A spokesperson for the JHU said lawyers representing the party would appear in court when these petitions were taken up.

Meanwhile, the UNF is yet to decide on how to respond to the anti-conversion bill though the JHU claims the UNF had earlier agreed to support such a move.

Top

Back to News

| Front Page | | News | | Editorial | | Columns | | Sports | | Plus | | Financial Times | | Mirror Magazine | | TV Times | Funday Times |

Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers Ltd. All rights reserved.