Cabinet appoints Ministerial committee to draft new constitutional proposals

By Kelum Bandara

The new government, in its first Cabinet meeting, appointed a ministerial committee to work on drafting the new constitutional proposals to be enacted by repealing the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

The Committee comprises Justice Minister Ali Sabry, Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardane, Labour Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila and Education Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris.  

The Committee will study the 19th Amendment and decide on new provisions to be incorporated into the Constitution in the form of the 20th Amendment.   

The 19th Amendment was introduced during the time of the Yahapalana government in 2015. It pruned the powers of the Executive President in terms of dissolution of Parliament and appointment of members to the National Independent Commissions.   

In the run up to the elections, the new government sought a mandate from people to scrap it.    

• The Committee will study the 19A and decide on new provisions to be incorporated into the Constitution in the form of the 20A