The adjournment debate had been reserved for the Opposition and UNP Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella got up to move a motion which said: “This Parliament moves that Temporalities be removed or exempted from the Bim Saviya Act and Sections in the Temporalities Circular No 2014/01 issued by the Commissioner of Buddhist affairs which state that in felling and transporting trees in a land owned by a sacred place, 10 percent of the local value of trees in case of a value in trees of a Rajakari land and 20 percent of the local value of trees in case of a Bandara land where the trees have been cultivated by the lessee should be credited to the fund of the sacred place, be removed.”

Prime Minister D.M.Jayaratne pointed out that there was no Act called Bim Saviya Act, thus the debate on provisions of an Act non-existing could not be permitted.

Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody said he would consult experts’ opinion with regard to the matter arisen and suspended sittings for five minutes around 4.15 pm.

When the House resumed sittings around 4.23 pm, the Deputy Speaker announced that the motion had not been properly phrased and there was such Act called a Bim Saviya Act. The Opposition could permit to move the motion once it would be properly drafted in a future date. Accordingly the House adjourned till 1.00 pm of September 23.(Special Reporter/HC)