Why in news?
Sri Lankan government has announced food emergency to check the soaring prices of food and hoarding of essentials by a food mafia.
What are the issues hampering the Sri Lankan government?
- Huge foreign debt burden
- Decline in tourism industry since the 2019 Easter attacks
- Pandemic hit tea and garment industries
- Decreasing foreign exchange reserves
- Devaluation of currency by 10.1% against the dollar this year
- Imports became costlier
- Increase in liquidity due to Rs 800 billion printed by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka
- Sharp spike in inflation
- Fixation of prices of all essential items made traders reluctant to buy at high prices internationally
- Restrictive import licensing regime
- Ban on chemical fertilisers to grow only organic food aggravated the shortage
What is the current emergency about?
- The emergency has been declared under the legal framework of the Public Security Ordinance (PSO).
- It empowers the President to declare a State of Emergency in two situations when the President is of the opinion that it is
- in the interest of public security and the preservation of public order
- for the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community
- President is now able to promulgate Emergency Regulations dealing with any subject at any given time
- While the emergency has to be taken to Parliament for renewal every three months, the President is empowered to bring in regulations that do not need parliamentary oversight or approval
- It must be recognised as a temporary conferral of extraordinary power for the government during times of acute crisis and not a substitute for the normal legal regime
What are the counter arguments against the proclamation of emergency?
- Opposition members argued that other legislations were available to check hoarding and cap food prices
- The appointment of a serving major general as the Commissioner General of Essential Services has raised concerns of bypassing the civilian administration
- It was alleged that emergency was proclaimed to violate the freedom of expression, movement, etc
- Ill-timed decision to switch from chemical to organic fertilizer might lead to food crisis.
Source: The Hindu, The Indian Express
