By Chamodi Gunawardana

Minister of Parliamentary Reform and Mass Media Gayantha Karunathilaka yesterday said Cabinet agreed to appoint a Cabinet subcommittee to discuss the President’s proposal of abolishing the executive presidency.

On Wednesday Cabinet approved the proposal presented by President Maithripala Sirisena to abolish the executive powers of the presidency and introduce a new electoral system.

Addressing the Cabinet briefing, Karunathilaka expressed the subcommittee would be headed by the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and comprised of all party leaders to give opinions to finalise the approval process of the proposal.  

He added the subcommittee expect to present its report of discussed recommendations to the House within next two weeks and it will be handed over to the draftsmen to add required amendments to the Constitution.

MR undecided on giving support to SLFP at polls

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa says he is still undecided on if he will support the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) at the next Local Government (LG) elections.

Rajapaksa told reporters today that while some in the SLFP want his support there are others who are demanding that he retire from politics.

He said that the public, however, now realize that they need him to solve their problems and he hopes the government will do just that.

Rajapaksa said that as a parliamentarian he has every right to criticize the Government and members of the opposition should also do that.

He said that the SLFP members in the opposition have been given the right to raise their voices against the Government. On the proposal to abolish the Executive Presidential system, Rajapaksa said that he feels the Executive Presidency will remain.

He said that while some amendments will be made to the Executive Presidential system, overall the President may have most powers. 

(Colombo Gazette)