Speaker certifies Electors & EPF Bills

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Speaker of the Parliament, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena endorsed his certification on two bills yesterday (13).

Accordingly, the Speaker certified the Registration of Electors (Amendment) Bill and the Employees' Provident Fund (Amendment) Bill, which were taken up for debate at the Parliament on 07 October.

The Employees' Provident Fund (Amendment) Bill has been amended to enable Sri Lankan workers who are working in India to withdraw contributions to the Social Security Fund before the age of 58. Prior to the amendment, Sri Lankans working in India were required by law to contribute to the Social Security Fund of India and can only withdraw the contribution upon their retirement at the completion of 58 years.

Meanwhile, the Registration of Electors (Amendment) Bill will enable persons who attained the age of 18 to cast their votes expeditiously. Prior to this, under the Registration of Electors Act No. 44 of 1980, voters are registered as persons who have attained the age of 18 years on the first day of June of each year. The youth who have a birthday after the relevant date will have the right to vote at the election which will be held after May 31 of the following year. The Bill was introduced to avoid the said limitation.

Accordingly, the Registration of Electors (Amendment) Act No. 22 of 2021 and the Employees Provident Fund (Amendment) Act No. 23 of 2021 would have been in effect from yesterday (13).