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SLFP opposes increasing ministers for national Government

12 Aug 2022

BY Buddhika Samaraweera While welcoming many aspects of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution Bill presented to Parliament this week, both the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) “independent” MP Gevindu Cumaratunga have however opposed the provisions allowing for the increase of the number of Ministerial portfolios, in the context of the formation of a national Government.      The SLFP has meanwhile planned to appoint a committee to study the said Bill, which was presented by Minister of Justice, Prisons Affairs, and Constitutional Reforms Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe PC on Wednesday (10). Speaking to The Morning yesterday (11), SLFP Senior Vice President Prof. Rohana Luxman Piyadasa said: “We have, for now, no criticism regarding the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution Bill, which has been submitted to Parliament. It includes almost all the provisions that were included in the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. However, the SLFP has decided to appoint a committee for further study in this regard.” However, he said that if the number of ministerial and deputy ministerial portfolios is to be increased under a national Government that will be established based on the provisions of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, it cannot be approved. He said that instead of such anti-public activities, a people-friendly governance system should be established, adding that the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution should be used to help the country recover from the current situation. Meanwhile, Cumaratunga, who recently left the SLPP and is currently sitting independently in Parliament, told The Morning that although many provisions contained in the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution Bill are progressive, the provision that allows the increase in the number of Ministerial posts after the formation of a national Government is “unacceptable”. He also mentioned that the three people to be appointed representing the civil society to the Constitutional Council that is to be established under the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, should be appointed in a way that represents groups such as professionals, the business community, and the academic community. The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution Bill, which had been referred to as the 21st Amendment to the Constitution Bill thus far, is now being referred to as the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution Bill, as another draft of the 21st Amendment to the Constitution Bill prepared by the main Parliamentary Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), has already been gazetted. However, the Supreme Court determined that many of the SJB’s Bill’s clauses were unconstitutional, and therefore required a public referendum in addition to a Parliamentary supermajority. 


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