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BASL puts forward proposals for governance
View(s):The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has released a set of 13 proposals to “restore political and economic stability in the country.”
A key proposal made by the BASL is the immediate introduction of the 21st Amendment to the Constitution by repealing the provisions of the 20th Amendment and restoring the 19th Amendment. Other main proposals include the establishment of an Interim Government of National Unity with a Prime Minister with consensus from all political parties in Parliament, abolition of the Executive Presidency within a time frame and a Common Minimum Programme.
In addition to the provisions of the 19th Amendment, the Association states that the 21st Amendment should also stipulate that the appointments of the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and the Monetary Board should be done with the approval of the Constitutional Council, while appointments of the Secretaries to the Ministries, Governors, Ambassadors and Heads of Missions to be done on the advice of the Prime Minister in consultation with the Cabinet of Ministers.
It adds that Presidential Pardons should be done according to the recommendation by a body established by law, appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council.
The proposals call for the abolition of the Executive Presidency as early as possible but not later than 15 months. “The amendment to that effect should be passed in Parliament no later than November 30, 2022 and must set the operative date by which the Executive Presidency will be abolished. The Executive Presidency to be replaced by a Parliamentary form of government, where the Prime Minister, as the head of the Government and the Cabinet of Ministers is accountable to Parliament.”
An Interim Government of National Unity consisting of 15 Cabinet Ministers should be established. The Prime Minister of this Interim Government will be a Member of Parliament who is able to establish a consensus among all political parties recognised by the Speaker in Parliament on the national economy and to enact necessary reforms.
“If there is no Member of Parliament who meets this criteria due to the exigencies of the situation, a vacancy created by the resignation of a National List MP may be used to facilitate the entry into Parliament of an individual who meets this criteria where there is bi-partisan consensus to appoint a person who is not presently a Member of Parliament as the Prime Minister, even if such individual’s name did not appear in the original List submitted to the National Elections Commission,” it further proposes.
Visit for the full set of proposals
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