Parliament appoints civil representatives to Constitutional Council

Parliament yesterday approved the nomination of non-Members of Parliament to the Constitutional Council, completing the formation of the Council which is the responsible body to appoint members to the independent commissions.

Accordingly, Dr. Ahangamage Tudor Ariyaratne, Shibly Aziz and Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy have been appointed to the Constitutional Council on the nomination of both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.

Ariyaratne is a renowned social worker and Aziz is a former Attorney-General. Coomaraswamy is a former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations.

When nominating these persons the Constitution requires to consult the leaders of political parties and independent groups represented in Parliament so as to ensure that the Constitutional Council reflects the pluralistic character of Sri Lankan society, including professional and social diversity. 

It also requires that they shall be persons of eminence and integrity who have distinguished themselves in public or professional life and who are not members of any political party.

Under the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, the Constitutional Council is the responsible body to appoint members to the independent commissions such as bribery commission and election commission.

The 10-member Constitutional Council proposed under the 19th Amendment to the Constitution consists of Speaker, Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, four Parliamentarians and three non-Parliamentary members. A MP nominated by the President will represent the Head of State in the Council.

Earlier this month, President Maithripala Sirisena appointed Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka as his representative while Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe was appointed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The Constitutional Council has decided to meet today, 23 September.