Against the backdrop of Opposition groups in the Parliament accusing the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) of attempting to prevent the passage of the proposed Anti-Corruption Bill (ACB) in the Parliament, the SLPP stated that they are not opposed to the entire Bill, but to several clauses in it that could be used to suppress political opponents.

The second reading of the said Bill was passed unanimously in the Parliament on 6 July, while the Committee stage was however postponed to 19 July following a proposal made by the Leader of the House attorney Dr. Susil Premajayantha.

Speaking to The Daily Morning on the matter yesterday (13), Opposition Parliamentarian Gevindu Cumaratunga said that while everyone was in agreement to support the Bill to eliminate corruption in the country, the SLPP is attempting to prevent it from being passed in the Parliament. "At the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Justice, this Bill was discussed with the participation of both Government and Opposition representatives. Following that discussion, the Minister of Justice President's Counsel Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe had agreed to make 59 amendments to the Bill at the Committee stage." When there were such preparations to make the necessary amendments and pass the Bill in the Parliament, he claimed that the SLPP, working on a hidden agenda, worked to postpone the Committee stage. "When this Bill was to be passed in the Parliament, Dr. Premajayantha requested that it be postponed as the SLPP had to propose some amendments to make it a 'better' Bill. Even Dr. Rajapakshe was surprised by it, and said that he did not see any reason for the Committee stage to be postponed. The SLPP's conduct is very problematic. All the amendments to this Bill, as had been suggested by the Supreme Court (SC), and the other concerned parties, were to be made. In such a situation, what can the SLPP do more to make it better? If they really needed to propose amendments, they had ample time to do so, given that the Bill was tabled in the Parliament in April 2023." Speaking further, Cumaratunga claimed that while the Bill has many shortcomings in terms of eliminating corruption, if passed however, it would be of some use to prevent acts of corruption from happening. "The SLPP is talking a lot about eliminating corruption, but it does not seem to be interested in passing this Bill. We know that this Bill has many shortcomings. However, there is some possibility of progress in terms of corruption that we could achieve through the implementation of the Bill, so why does the SLPP attempt to prevent it from being enacted?"

When inquired about the allegations, SLPP General Secretary and Government MP attorney Sagara Kariyawasam said that they are not against the Bill as a whole, but that a number of SLPP MPs are requesting that certain clauses contained in it be amended as they could be used to hunt down political opponents. "The SLPP was the first to point out the need for legal provisions to eradicate corruption. We therefore have no need to prevent this Bill from being passed. However, it contains a number of clauses that are against democracy and the country's law. For example, under this Bill, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) can, based on a mere complaint that they receive, arrest a person without any investigation. It is a very dangerous situation. Such provisions can be misused to hunt down political opponents." In response to a query by The Daily Morning as to whether the SLPP had decided as a Party to support the Bill, he said: "We have not taken a decision as a Party to oppose or support this Bill. We have given the freedom to our MPs for that. They can make the decision that is best for them, and act accordingly."

The Bill, if passed in the Parliament, is to replace the Bribery Act, No. 11 of 1954 (Chapter 26), the CIABOC Act, No. 19 of 1994, and the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities Law, No. 1 of 1975.