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CBC cautions against rush to enact 20th Amendment to the Constitution
View(s):The Catholic Bishops Conference (CBC) in Sri Lanka has called upon President Maithripala Sirisena, the Government and political leaders to provide adequate time to study the electoral reforms envisaged in the 20th Amendment to the Constitution before it is enacted by Parliament.
In a statement issued yesterday, Conference members urged that adequate time be given for a “sufficient study prior to the approval of this amendment with due openness and a spirit of seriousness in making such far-reaching amendments to the Constitution.”
The Bishop’s warned that the inordinate hurry, with which this amendment is being pushed through without a proper study and consultation, can have adverse effects on the country as a whole.
“The Catholic Bishops’ Conference understands the reasons for which a new Electoral System is being introduced in Sri Lanka through this Amendment,” the statement said, adding that at the same time it is “concerned about the way some of the electorates are being planned to be re-arranged with the possible effect of non-representation or reduced representation of the minority religious and linguistic groups in the august assembly.”
“Therefore while accepting the need for a change in the present way of electing the peoples’ representatives, the concerns of all groups, especially the minorities, need to be taken into consideration before any more alterations are made to the Constitution”, they said.
The statement is signed by President of the CBCSL Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith and its Secretary General Bishop Valence Mendis.