Following the Private Member Bill which was presented by Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Government Parliamentarian, attorney Premnath C. Dolawatte to amend Sections 365 and 365A in the Penal Code which criminalise same-sex sexual activity, reaching its final stages, Dolawatte said that he is hopeful of gaining the support of the majority of MPs to pass the said Bill.

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (21), Dolawatte said that the Bill is to be referred to the Legislative Standing Committee of the Parliament for further procedures as the second reading of the Bill was concluded earlier this year (2024). He also noted that the future proceedings of the Bill will be commenced as per the report of the said Committee, which is to be presented to the House.

When queried as to whether he noticed a favourable response from the MPs regarding the Bill and its consequences, Dolawatte stated that the Bill will be endorsed by the majority of MPs who have a progressive mindset, as, according to him, the majority of the public and civil society organisations have already pledged their support for the Bill.

However, when contacted by The Daily Morning earlier, when the Bill was first tabled in the Parliament, the SLPP General Secretary and Government MP, attorney Sagara Kariyawasam said that the Government has decided that each of their Party MPs should vote, not as a collective, but according to their individual conscience, with regard to the proposed Penal Code (Amendment) Bill.

In August 2022, MP Dolawatte presented a Bill to the Parliament in order to amend legal provisions within the Penal Code which criminalise same-sex sexual activity. Accordingly, Dolawatte’s Bill has proposed amendments to Sections 365 and 365A in the Penal Code. Section 365 of the Penal Code terms “voluntary carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman, or animal” as an “unnatural offence”, while Section 365A penalises “acts of gross indecency between persons”.