REPORT: ALL PROVINCIAL COUNCILS WANT THE POWERS OF THE GOVERNOR TO BE REDUCED SUBSTANTIALLY

Image: Reginald Cooray takes oaths as new governor of Northern Province.

04/11/2016

Concluding text of agreed outcomes of the Conference of Provincial Councils of SriLanka held on 7th August 2016 says that The powers of the Governor must be substantially reduced. Except in clearly identified emergency or other exceptional situations. The report of conference, which  was organised by the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) in Colombo has now been published. The report has been edited by Dr. Asanga Welikala, an expert on constitutional making.  Among other important agreements are the proposals to  abolish the Concurrent List of the Provincial Council Act, to establish a provincial police service,  to establish a  National Land Commission and a Provincial Land Commission, to formalize the Chief Ministers’ Conference.

Although the conference had  extensive discussion during the plenary and breakout sessions about such matters as the nature of the Sri Lankan state, in particular the question of its self-description as a unitary or federal state there has not been a consensus position on the subject .  “However, there was broad acceptance that Sri Lanka’s unity and territorial integrity must be safeguarded by the constitution while providing for the maximum possible devolution within that framework.” says the report:

The section of the agreed outcomes of the Conference are given below:

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