The ruling party in Sri Lanka has blocked an effort by the main opposition party to bring up right to information legislation, according to media reports.

The United National Party presented its RTI proposal to the Speaker of Parliament, but was told the bill could not be presented because it had been defeated in June 2011, according to the May 14 Sunday Leader. (See previous FreedomInfo.org report.)

The government last June and even before that has said it is drafting its own bill, but nothing has emerged.

RTI supporters were discouraged by reports made last summer by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He  told newspaper editors that a law to protect the people’s right to information was unnecessary and said he could ensure access to information, saying, “Just ask me for a file and I will give it to you.” (See previous FreedomInfo.org report.)

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Tags: rti legislation

Filed under: What's New