Impasse over 19A; Party leaders to meet again on Tuesday

Saturday, 18 April 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Although the debate on the 19th Amendment Bill had been included on the Parliament agenda on 20 and 21 April, the proposed Draft Bill is caught in a crisis. The political party leaders were unable to come to a final agreement over the 19th Amendment Draft Bill during a meeting yesterday. Representing the Opposition, MPs Dinesh Gunawardana, Wimal Weerawansa, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, D.E.W. Gunasekera and Tissa Vitharana participated in the meeting. In addition, Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala de Silva, MPs Susil Premajayantha, John Seneviratne, Prof. G.L. Peries, and M.A. Athaullah were also present at the meeting. Leader of the House and Minister Lakshman Kiriella and Minister Rauff Hakeem participated on behalf of the Government. MP M.A. Sumanthiran represented the TNA during the meeting. At the party leaders’ meeting, copies of the 12-page document carrying the changes to the 19th Amendment were made available to the participants by the Government. These changes are expected to be added to the 19th Amendment by circumventing the recent Supreme Court judgment. Lanka Samasamaja Party General Secretary and former Minister Dr. Tissa Vitharana explained the Government’s efforts to circumvent the Supreme Court judgment and add new changes to the 19th Amendment. At the same time, Leader of the House and Minister Lakshman Kiriella said that Opposition MPs requested the postponement of the debate over the 19th Amendment Bill. Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala de Silva distributed copies of his party constitutional amendment Bill among political party leaders.

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