Bill passed, sweeping powers for Lanka President

Colombo, October 22

Sri Lanka’s Parliament on Thursday handed the 20th Amendment to the Constitution with two-thirds majority, consolidating the facility within the arms of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and undermining the authority of Parliament.

The second studying of the 20th Amendment was handed in Parliament, with 156 MPs voting in favour of the Bill and 65 towards it within the 223-member Parliament. Only 213 members have been current on the time of voting.

The fascinating characteristic of the vote was six defections from the Opposition benches to authorities ranks.

With their dominant majority within the meeting, the Rajapaksas have made it clear that they’d amend the Constitution to bolster the powers of the President, reversing the work of the earlier authorities to introduce extra checks and balances and improve the function of Parliament.

Activists, already alarmed by the diminishing area for dissent within the island nation, worry that the newest modification to the Constitution could result in authoritarianism.

The Bill was offered in Parliament on Wednesday for a two-day debate following which the vote came about on Thursday. The modification will develop into a part of the nation’s primary legislation after Assembly Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena indicators it.

The authorities on September 2 gazetted 20A to exchange the 19th Amendment launched in 2015 that curtailed the powers of the President and strengthened the function of Parliament.

20A is supposed to annul 19A, which was seen as a pro-democracy, good governance modification and known as for checks and balances within the presidential system whereas making Parliament extra highly effective. The 20A proposes to revive full authorized immunity to the President. — PTI

Contentious 20th Amendment

The 20th Amendment to the Constitution proposes to revive full authorized immunity to the Sri Lankan President, eradicating the provisions made in 19A to take authorized motion towards him.