Earlier Sri Lanka facing the worst economic crisis since independence in 1948; and many protests triggered across the country over poor handling of this crisis and lack of accountability to it by the authorities. Thereafter through the popular uprising against the ex-President for mishandling the country’s economy, who was ousted in mid-July.
The text of the draft of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was changed after the ouster of former president. Several features, including curbing the President’s power to sack the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, have been included in the draft of a constitutional amendment bill that seeks to reduce the concentration of power in one person.
The draft bill was aimed to empower Parliament over the executive president, was approved by the Cabinet and gazetted last month. Later the Supreme Court cleared the 22nd amendment to the Constitution stating that it can be adopted with a two-thirds majority in Parliament and a nationwide referendum on clauses 2 and 3 of the bill that are inconsistent with the Constitution. Further it also recommended changes to help Parliament pass the bill with only a special majority.
Bill aims to restore independent commissions and curbs some of the powers of the president; reinstate reforms made in 2015, reversing those reforms that concentrated power on to ex-President after being elected to office in 2019. But all the same it will still continue to be called a Draconian Constitution!
Northern Breeze 