A Partial, But a Great Victory for Democracy

We are still not completely aware of the final shape of the 19thAmendment. When it came to the committee stage, there were 63 amendments from the government itself, while the opposition proposing 111 in competition. The government eventually withdrew some of their amendments as a way of compromise, while the opposition did the same or compelled to do so. The President Sirisena admirably influenced both sides for realistic compromises staying in his office in Parliament throughout the debate yesterday.

by Laksiri Fernando

( April 29, 2015, Sydney, Sri Lanka Guardian) Finally, finally the 19th Amendment is passed with only one UPFA MP opposing. Perhaps he was true to what he was advocating while many others were chickening out, including the ‘law professor.’ There was an eleventh hour compromise on the Constitutional Council, but the government rightly did not budge on the appointment of Cabinet of Ministers. If the President kept all the powers to unilaterally appoint the cabinet of ministers, as the opposition wanted through their dubious amendment, then there was no much meaning of the 19th Amendment. The main purpose finally was to remove the draconian powers of the Presidency. The complete abolition required a referendum as the Supreme Court determined. That was beyond the promise or the mandate.

A Partial, But a Great Victory for Democracy by Thavam Ratna