Parliament approves Constitutional Council

Parliament gave the nod yesterday for the nomination of non-Members of Parliament Dr. Ahangamage Tudor Ariyaratne, Shibly Aziz and Dr. RadhikaCoomar-aswamy to the Constitutional Council.

These appointments were made in terms of paragraph (5) of Article 41A of the Constitution, on the nomination of both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition under sub-paragraph (e) of paragraph (1) and paragraphs (4) and (5) of Article 41A of the Constitution.

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. (AH)