Constitutional Assembly to be formed today

Saturday, 9 January 2016 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Ashwin Hemmathagama – Our Lobby Correspondent

Parliament will meet this morning to adopt a resolution that would convert parliament into a Constitutional Assembly to formulate and approve a new Constitution for Sri Lanka.

The resolution will be moved with the endorsements of Prime Minster Ranil Wickremasinghe, Ministers Nimal Siripala de Silva, Lakshman Kiriella, Rauf Hakeem, Malik Samarawickrama, D.M. Swaminathan, Dr. Wejedasa Rajapakshe, and Patali Champika Ranawaka.

President Maithripala Sirisena earlier expressed his desire to implement the will of the people expressed at the last Presidential Election by enacting a new Constitution to abolish the Executive Presidency.

The proposed new Constitution is expected to ensure a fair and representative electoral system, which eliminates preferential voting, strengthens the democratic rights of all citizens, provides a Constitutional solution to the national issue, promotes national reconciliation, establishes a political culture that respects the rule of law, guarantees to the People’s fundamental rights and freedom that assure human dignity and promotes responsible and accountable government.

The proposed committee will responsible for drafting the new Constitution. The Constitutional Assembly, which will consist of all Members of Parliament, will be convened for the purpose of deliberating, and seeking the views and advice of the people, on a new Constitution for Sri Lanka, and preparing a draft of a Constitution Bill for the consideration of Parliament in the exercise of its powers under Article 75 of the current Constitution.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya will be the Chairman of the Constitutional Assembly, which will have seven other Deputy Chairmen who will be elected by the Constitutional Assembly. In the absence of the Speaker, one of these Deputy Chairmen will chair the sittings of the Assembly. The quorum for meetings of the Constitutional Assembly will be 20, according to the resolution.