Constitution with basic structure that cannot be changed: Kiriella

The government is looking towards compiling a Constitution with a basic structure that cannot be changed forever, Senior Minister and Leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella said yesterday.

Mr. Kiriella told a media briefing that the intention of the government is to compile a Constitution with a basic structure that cannot be amended even if all 225 members of Parliament vote in favour of such a change.

Accordingly, he said no provisions will be provided in the new Constitution to change the Independence of the Judiciary and the Independent Commissions such as the Election Commission.

However, he said there would be provisions for other amendments. Responding to a question raised by the journalists as to whether a process of compiling of enacting a new Constitution would be included in the new system of governance which the government is looking at, the Minister said such a decision is yet to be made.

Further, the Minister said the government will not change the existing Unitary Status and the Status of Buddhism which is guaranteed by the present Constitution. “Nothing is going to happen to the Unitary Status of the country and to Buddhism and there is no need to instil fear in the minds of the people even before a Constitution is drafted,” he said.

He said the government had adopted a democratic process by inviting the general public to come up with their proposals and through holding a referendum for the first time in the history of this country. “We have adopted this approach as a means of ending the history of drop catches, which this country had gone through during the past years,” he said stating that the opportunity which the country has got today should not be missed. (Yohan Perera)