New constitution faces big delays

The process to draft a new constitution has hit snags, with meetings and parliamentary debates scheduled for early January now expected to be delayed till next month, Daily FT learns.

The Steering Committee set up by the Constitutional Assembly, comprising the entirety of parliament, met yesterday, with the SLFP MPs requesting more time to study the proposals, Leader of the Tamil Progressive Front and Minister for National Co-existence, Mano Ganesan said.

The Constitutional Assembly was scheduled to sit from 9-11 January to discuss the six sub-committee reports on different aspects of the new constitution, but this debate would now be postponed, added Ganesand. The Tamil National Alliance and other parties representing ethnic minorities were requested to “hold on” until mid February, he tweeted.

The Minister said he had informed the Steering Committee that the TPC, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, the All Ceylon Muslim Congress and the EPDP would submit “minor party proposals” to the constitution, on devolution, national anthem, religion, territorial integrity, electoral reform and the presidency, he added. (DB)