Amendment to curb SL Prez’s powers, likely to come for approval today

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s Minister of Justice has said that the 21st Amendment to the Constitution will be referred to the Cabinet for approval on Monday, a media report said on Sunday, paving the way to curb the unfettered powers of embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The 21st Amendment is expected to annul the 20A which gave unfettered powers to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa after abolishing the 19th Amendment which had made Parliament powerful over the president. The amendment would make it impossible for those with dual citizenship to hold a seat in Parliament, Justice Dr Wijayadasa Rajapaksa said.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had relinquished his US citizenship in April 2019 before contesting the presidential elections. In addition to the existing Independent Commissions, the National Audit Commission and the Procurement Commission will be amended as Independent Commissions, the report said.

The Minister said that the new amendment also proposes for the appointment of the Governor of the Central Bank to come under the Constitutional Council.