Africa Business Radio

Sri Lanka’s parliament has approved a state of emergency declared by the president saying it is needed to control food prices and prevent hoarding amid shortages of some staples.Opposition legislators said the emergency declaration is not needed because other laws can be used to maintain essential supplies, and the tough emergency rules can be misused to stifle critics.The emergency law enables authorities to detain people without warrants, seize property, enter and search any premises, suspend laws and issue orders that cannot be questioned in court. Officials who issue such orders are also immune from lawsuits.President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had declared an emergency on August 30.