• Amedt. Bill focuses on monks’ entry into the order/registration, and personation, temples’/devalayas’ land/property ownership

The Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs stated that the final version of the Bill to amend the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance will be forwarded to the Legal Draftsman’s Department as soon as the suggestions from the Chief Prelates of the three Sects (Mahanayakas) are received.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Deputy Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs Gamagedara Dissanayake said that the process of revising the law had already moved through several stages, with the Legal Draftsman’s Department having made its initial recommendations.

“The Legal Draftsman’s Department sent us the Bill with their recommendations. We have once again presented those recommendations to the Chief Prelates. We will finally add their views to this. After that, this draft will be sent again to the Legal Draftsman’s Department and the final draft will be presented to the Cabinet of Ministers,” he explained.

He further said that the main issues under discussion in the amending process are Sections 41 and 42 of the Ordinance, which deal with the procedures related to monks entering the order. He added that amendments have also been included regarding matters related to land and property owned by temples and devalayas.

The proposed amendments to the Ordinance primarily focus on the registration of bhikkhus and the offence of passing off as a bhikkhu.