Preamble to Constitution making resolution to be amended

The government will list the resolution to initiate the constitution making process for debate in Parliament during the next sitting week, with amendments to its preamble, officials said yesterday.

Initially, the government tried to adopt it in January. However, the SLFP including its section with the government, and other parties in the joint opposition, sought amendments to it. The joint opposition opposed the plan for the appointment of a Constitutional Assembly comprising all the members of the House. Instead, it said the proposed mechanism should be a committee of the whole House, governed purely by the procedures laid down in the relevant Standing Orders.

A government source said the parties had agreed to incorporate, more or less, the amendments sought by other parties, and therefore the resolution could be listed for debate during the next sitting week starting on February 22.

Already, the committee appointed for deliberation with the public on the constitution making process has commenced its work.

The government is planning to evolve a new Constitution in this exercise, a pledge given in the run up to the Presidential Election last year. (Kelum Bandara)