A new bill to amend the Criminal Procedure Code has been proposed to significantly raise the penalties for vote bribery. The bill, introduced under the order of Minister of Justice Dr. Wijayadasa Rajapaksa, aims to update the fines to better reflect current monetary values.
Key aspects of the proposed amendments include:
- Increase in Penalties: The fine for vote bribery will be raised from the current 500 rupees to 1 million rupees. This substantial increase reflects a move to strengthen deterrents against electoral corruption.
- Additional Adjustments: The bill also proposes raising the fine for other forms of bribery from 200 rupees to 750,000 rupees. Another proposed adjustment involves increasing a separate fine from 500 rupees to 100,000 rupees.
These changes are intended to address the inadequacies of current penalties and reinforce the integrity of the electoral process. The bill is expected to be presented to Parliament in the near future for further discussion and approval.
