New constitution: Second interim report on Nov. 7?

The second interim report of the new constitution is to be presented to the Constitutional Assembly by the steering committee on Nov. 7, top government sources said yesterday.

A senior official attached to the Constitutional Assembly told Daily Mirror that a document was due to reach them on November 7, but declined to reveal what the document would be.

However, the Daily Mirror learns from reliable sources that the document referred to is the second interim report on the new constitution. The dates for debate on the report will be decided later according to sources.

The first interim report was presented to the assembly on September 2017 and did not get a favourable response with some political parties who are allies of the government also opposed to parts of it.

A key ally of the government opposed the abolition of Executive Presidency while the nature of the State was opposed by both the opposition and several allies of the ruling coalition.

The report also received criticism from the Mahanayakas of the Asgiriya and Malwaththa Chapters.

The move comes despite the 20th Amendment to the Constitution seeking the abolition of Executive Presidency being presented in Parliament by the JVP. (Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana)