The Penal Code (Amendment) Bill (to amend Chapter 19) that is to be taken up for the Second Reading debate in Parliament yesterday (24) has received the approval of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection. The Committee met on Tuesday (23) in Parliament under the chairmanship of Member of Parliament (Dr.) Najith Indika.
The text of the statement issued by parliament: “At the occasion, the Chair of the Committee stated that the purpose of introducing this Bill is to end corporal punishment targeting children and disciplinary methods causing harm to students, and to provide legal punishment for such offences.
For a long time in Sri Lanka, there had not been sufficient legal provisions to prevent corporal punishment inflicted on children in various places including child detention centres and schools. This matter has been discussed in society over a long period, and it was emphasised that legal provisions must be introduced to change the situation. Therefore, the Ministry of Justice and National Integration pointed out that the Bill is brought by amending the Penal Code in order to establish such provisions, as the need for legislation on this issue has been continuously stressed by various political parties and several international organisations.
Officials participating in the Committee further stated that this Bill has been prepared after extensive discussions with the Ministry of Education and teachers’ professional associations, among other parties. They pointed out that this is not in any way a Bill targeting teachers, but a law applicable to any person who inflicts corporal punishment on children.
The meeting was attended by Members of the Sectoral Oversight Committee: Mujibur Rahman, M.K.M. Aslam, Sellaththamby Thilaganathan, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasingha, Major General (Rtd.) G.D. Sooriyabandara, and Members of Parliament: Ajith P. Perera, Attorney-at-Law (Mrs.) Chamindranee Kiriella, Attorney-at-Law Chithral Fernando, and Attorney-at-Law (Mrs.) Anushka Thilakarathne.
