(Lanka-e-News -20.April.2015, 11.00PM) It was decided that the 19th amendment to the constitution without being tabled in parliament today (21) , shall be taken for debate on the 21 st and 22 nd of April , This morning a party leaders’ meeting was held when it was finally decided that no amendments be added to the proposals gazetted with the approval of the supreme court (SC).
The SLFP group that met yesterday which is to ensure the 2 /3 rd majority to pass the constitutional amendment had endorsed the same view. Accordingly , the president shall be the head of the government and the commanding chief of the forces. The amendments to withdraw the powers of the president as head of the government ; and decisions shall be taken by the president only after consulting with the prime minister are not being put forward. It is reported this decision was arrived at following a discussion among Ranil , Chandrika and Maithripala . However , the promise made to the people by the president Maithripala Sirisena during the last presidential elections that the executive powers of the president will be completely transferred to the parliament and the independent commissions had not materialized by these proposals. These decisions were taken by Maithripala Sirisena himself , the president of the SLFP .
If Maithripala Sirisena does not act according to his pre election promise to transfer the executive powers totally to the parliament by constitutional amendment , it will not be possible for him to halt the people from making an amendment to their own earlier good opinion of him .
In any case Ranil Wickremesinghe had decided to table the 19 th amendment gazetted which was approved by the SC in parliament , even without the desired changes to it that have been stifled and get it passed as swiftly as possible.
The SLFP parliamentary group has also decided that the parliament should be dissolved after the 20 th amendment is also passed in parliament concerning the electoral reforms.
However , some days ago ,the president himself announced in Polonnaruwa that the parliament will be dissolved immediately after the 19 th amendment which transfers executive powers to the parliament is passed.
Apparently , the political aim and objective is , for both parties to to acquire a victory status at the parliamentary elections ,with UNP trying to clinch the advantage by getting the 19 th amendment passed , while the SLFP is trying to secure the advantage by getting the 20 th amendment passed.
In any event the Elections Commissioner made it abundantly clear that for the public to get acquainted with the new political reforms , a period of a year will be necessary, while adding that even his officers cannot be educated on the new reforms quickly
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by (2015-04-20 23:05:36)
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