The Cabinet yesterday decided to adopt the 19th Amendment to the constitution without amendments. With this new development, the President would be the Head of State and the head of the Security Forces. The Cabinet also adopted the provisions of the 17th Amendment to the constitution which includes the setting up of independent commissions. With this decision, the Elections Commission, the independent Police Commission, the Public Services Commission and the Constitutional Council will be set up as part of the process to reduce the powers of the Executive. The Cabinet agreed that the Executive Presidency should come to an end with the end of President Sirisena’s first term. After the President’s first term, the Presidency will be more or less a ceremonial figurehead as in India and several other Western countries
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is due to vacate his official residence at Wijerama Mawatha, Colombo this morning, a Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) source said.
The Presidents’ Entitlements (Repeal) Bill was passed by a majority of 150 in parliament today. However the opposition MP’s were absent during the voting.
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