President to amend 19th Amendment

NIRANJALA ARIYAWANSHA-PM DEC 06 2018

President Maithripala Sirisena has decided to amend the 19^th Amendment to the Constitution, which had been ratified with the utmost difficulty as a progressive measure for the country three years ago.

A special Media release, from the President’s Media Division today, stated that the President was willing to amend all politically thorny clauses contained in the 19^thAmendment to the Constitution.

The press release further pointed out that the President was determined to amend all problematic clauses contained in the 19^th Amendment by taking necessary measures through the Parliament.

The release said that through the 19^th Amendment, the setting up of independent Commissions as well as further strengthening democratic institutions had taken place.

“By 8 January 2015, it was due to the President’s unstinted efforts that the 19^thAmendment to the Constitution was passed in the House and it resolved many of the issues that had affected the country for over three decades,” the press release quoted the President as saying.

The release stated that if there are any further problematic issues that the country has to face in the implementation of the 19^th Amendment to the Constitution, then it was the hope of the President that such issues could be sorted out by adding more amendments to it through the legislature.

One of the key promises given by the yahapalana Government had been to ratify the 19^thAmendment to the Constitution and through it to further solidify the functioning of institutions within a democratic framework.

However, after the ratification of the 19^th Amendment, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his then JO MPs' continued to insist that once they regain power it will be totally dispensed with.

The Act removing the ability for a President who had served two terms in office, from running for a third time, was introduced for the first time through the 19^th Amendment.

Another key point was the reduction of the powers vested in the Executive Presidency through the 19^th Amendment to the constitution.

Among a few of the independent Commissions that were set up through the 19^thAmendment to the Constitution were the Independent Police Commission, Independent Audit Commission and the Independent Procurement Commission.