Bumpy road for crucial 19A

Wednesday, 22 April 2015 01:12 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Parliament adjourns postponing debate on crucial constitutional amendment to 27 April

Members of the Police and clergy face each other at a temporary barricade set up yesterday to quell protests outside Parliament - Pic by Shehan Gunasekera

Putting the crucial 19th Amendment at risk, the Parliament adjourned yesterday without debating it but agreed to take it up on 27 April. The decision to postpone the debate was reached following an emergency party leaders meeting held with the President. The 19th Amendment will be taken up for debate on 27 and 28 April and a vote will be taken on 28 April, the Leader of the House announced. Following the chaotic situation which arose in the House due to the protests staged by Opposition MPs due to the Bribery Commission summoning former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to record a statement, the Speaker convened an immediate meeting of party leaders. Earlier the leaders of the main political parties agreed to hold the debate on the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in the House yesterday and today. This was after discussions were convened by the President and Prime Minister. Political analysts were uncertain about the passage of both the 19th Amendment and electoral reforms through the 20th Amendment. Until yesterday there was some agreement that the 19th Amendment would be tackled first while respecting the recent determination of the Supreme Court. The SLFP noted that both amendments must be passed before Parliament was dissolved though some have called for greater debate and public scrutiny over electoral reforms.

UNP to oppose more 19A delays

The ruling United National Party (UNP) says it will oppose another attempt to delay the 19th Amendment to the Constitution from being submitted for a vote in Parliament. UNP MP and Deputy Justice Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe said that the Government would push for the debate on the 19th Amendment to take place on Monday, 27 April as scheduled and for the vote to be conducted on the proposal the next day. He said that if there was another attempt by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party to postpone it then President Maithripala Sirisena, as Chairman of the party, would need to decide the next step. “This is the last chance. We will not postpone it again,” he said.