• Blames delay of legal reform on ‘certain groups with vested interests within the relevant Govt. institutions, blocking process’ 

The Asgiri Chapter of the Siam Buddhist Sect claimed that the process of amending the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance (Vihara Devalagam Act) is being blocked by certain groups with vested interests in the relevant Government institutions. 

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Secretary of the Supreme Sangha Council of the Chapter Ven. Dr. Medagama Dhammananda Thera said that they had long been calling for amendments to the Ordinance – particularly to Sections 41 and 42, which pertain to the registration of bhikkhus and the offense of passing off as a bhikkhu.

“We have been saying for a long time that this Act should be amended. We told the previous Governments, and we told this Government on many occasions. Especially, Sections 42 and 43 should be amended. All three Buddhist Sects (Siam, Amarapura, Ramanna) signed in agreement and requested the Government to do this.”

He explained that since revising the entire Law is quite time-consuming, they had requested amendments to the most essential provisions. “The President told us that the Government would do this. Finally, these amendments are prepared by the Government and sent to the relevant government institutions. Then, they are blocked at those places by certain groups with vested interests. There are groups that distort the dhamma. Their followers are everywhere. They are the ones who delay these legal reforms.”

Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi was unavailable for comment. 

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