SLFP not opposed to passing 19 A: Opposition Leader‏

Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala de Silva today said that the Sri Lanka Freedom Party ( SLFP) has no plans to delay the passing of the 19th Amendment. However, he said the amendment has to be presented in accordance with the Supreme Court ruling and the party will not accept anything which will be ‘illegally introduced’ by the UNP. He said that after the 19th Amendment was gazetted further amendments were introduced through the Attorney General adding that these amendments were to further increase the powers of the Prime minister. He said even at Tuesday’s Party leader’s meeting they were given only the 19 A draft in English – ‘We said Sinhala and Tamil copies also should be given. We have asked for the full amendment as one document’, he said. 'We feel that it is the UNP who does not want this amendment passed', he said. 'The UNP finally decided to postpone the presentation of the 19th Amendment. That was a victory for the Opposition', he said.