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Minority parties oppose 20th Amendment
View(s):The minority parties in Parliament are up in arms, vowing to oppose the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, to be moved by the Peoples’ Liberation Front (JVP), when Parliament reconvenes on Monday. The primary intention of the Amendment is to abolish the Executive Presidency (EP).
Four political parties, namely Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) and All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) which represents 19 Parliamentarians collectively, decided that all the proposed Constitutional amendments such as abolishing the EP, introducing a new electoral system and power devolution to the provinces, should be brought as a single package in the new Constitution making process, rather than selective amendments brought in by parties with vested interests.
“We are of the view that the EP should be retained, as the Presidential election is the only polls in the country when the whole country is considered as a single electorate, and an individual is given the mandate of the people,” TPA Leader Mano Ganesan told the Sunday Times.
However, the JVP held that a Private Member’s Bill (PMB) titled “20th Amendment to the Constitution” will be moved in Parliament shortly after it reconvenes tomorrow, as it recognises the EP as the deep rooted cause for all the issues in the country’s politics.
JVP MP Dr Nalinda Jayatissa told the Sunday Times that the main reason for the JVP to bring this amendment as a PMB to Parliament is because, all past Presidents who pledged to abolish the EP failed to do so over time, including incumbent President Maithripala Sirisena who was elected under the same slogan.
“After the recent Local polls, it seems that the possibility of formulating a new Constitution is fading. Therefore, the JVP has decided to move this PMB, before this Government’s term lapses,” explained MP Dr Jayatissa.
The JVP is of the view that, once the PMB is moved in Parliament, it hopes to hold discussions with the other political parties to get their support and pass it.