Constitutional amendments aimed at restoring 19A to Cabinet today

Monday, 23 May 2022 03:19 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Key political reforms to be taken up at first Cabinet meeting since new appointments
Proposed changes include restoration of independent commissions, Constitutional Council

Constitutional amendments aimed at restoring independent commissions, reducing some of the powers vested with the President as well as disqualifying dual citizens from holding elected office will be presented to the Cabinet today by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The 13-member Cabinet will meet for the first time this evening where the constitutional amendments will come up for discussion.

The Prime Minister has said that the early restoration of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution is one of the new Government’s priorities while President Gotabaya Rajapaksa too has pledged support for the constitutional amendments.

The proposed Government Bill will be in line with the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution Bill which was presented as a Private Members Bill to Parliament last week by Wijedasa Rajapaksha before he was sworn in as the Justice Minister.

The constitutional changes, once approved by Parliament, will also restore the Constitutional Council (CC) which will have to clear all important appointments in the State sector including that of the Attorney-General, the Auditor-General, the Inspector-General of Police, the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (Ombudsman) and the Secretary-General of Parliament.

Such appointments are now made solely at the discretion of the President with the Parliamentary Council that replaced the CC having no power other than to rubber stamp names proposed by the Executive.

If Cabinet approves the constitutional amendments today, the Bill will be published in the Gazette prior to its presentation to Parliament later this month.