Tuesday, 2 July 2013 00:00
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Long time ally of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Minister of National Languages and Social Integration Vasudeva Nanayakkara pledged to quit the Government yesterday if the regime moved to repeal the 13th Amendment and do away with the provincial council system.
Addressing a press briefing in Colombo yesterday Minister Nanayakkara said he agreed with the fact that the 13A provision to merge provinces was no longer necessary, but reasserted that the Government’s second proposal needed to go before an all-party Parliamentary Select Committee before adoption. The Government’s second proposed amendment enables Parliament to legislate on subjects allocated to the provincial councils with a simple majority in Parliament even if a majority of councils do not approve the move. “I cannot remain part of a Government that will move to repeal the provincial council system,” Nanyakkara told the press briefing. He said he believed it was not the intention of the Government to dilute the powers of the provincial councils. The Government would only repeal the merger provisions.
