The Asgiri Chapter of the Siam Buddhist Sect has expressed doubts as to whether the continued failure to implement amendments to the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance (Vihara Devalagam Act) is due to pressure from certain parties who may be affected once the legal reforms come into effect.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, the Secretary of the Supreme Sangha Council of the Asgiri Chapter, Ven. Dr. Medagama Dhammananda Thera said the Chief Prelates of all the Buddhist Sects had pointed out what needed to be done, provided guidance on the reforms, and had even written to the President regarding the issue. He said that the process has now reached its final stage, but that the amendments are still not being implemented, adding that the reasons for the delay remain unclear. “We have done everything that can be done from our side. There is no further intervention that we can make. We don’t know whether the Government is holding back due to pressure from certain parties who may be affected by the implementation of these legal reforms."

The remarks come amid continuing delays in amending the said Ordinance/Act. The Buddhasasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs Ministry earlier acknowledged that the process has been slowed by delays across several institutions, but rejected claims that there is a deliberate attempt to stall the amendments. The Deputy Buddhasasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs Minister Gamagedara Dissanayake has said that the amendment process involves multiple stages and institutions, including the Attorney General’s Department, the Legal Draftsman’s Department, and the Chief Prelates of the three main Buddhist Sects. He explained that drafts are repeatedly exchanged for legal observations and religious input, and that slow official correspondence has contributed to the delays.

Earlier last year (2025), President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that amendments to the said Ordinance had already been drafted and would be submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers before being presented to the Parliament.