Table of Contents
The results!!
- President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his brother, who is former two-term President Mahinda Rajapaksa, have registered a landslide victory in Sri Lanka’s parliamentary election.
- Rajapaksa brothers lead Sri Lanka People’s Freedom Alliance (SLPFA), of which their Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) is a majority stakeholder.
- The alliance won winning at least 145 seats, out of a total of 225 in the unicameral legislature. (2/3 majority – 151).
Forecast of things to come!
- Rajapaksa family strengthening its grip on SL
- SLPP no longer needs to enter into compromises with other parties to bring sweeping constitutional changes to increase powers of the president.
- They might possibly remove two-term limit on the presidency.
- They may dilute 19th SL Constitutional Amendment act 2015 which limited presidents powers and distributed powers to PM, Parliament and other institutions.
- Continuing centralisation of power, may lead to rising authoritarianism.
- SLPP no longer needs to enter into compromises with other parties to bring sweeping constitutional changes to increase powers of the president.
What was this 19th Amendment?
- Sri Lankan Parliament had passed the 19th to the Constitution Act on 28th April 2015.
- The Nineteenth Amendment was achieved through consensus developed by former President Maitripala Sirisena, it was policy that rejected both the Rajapaksa loyalists, who wanted to retain the hyper-presidential state.
What was this 19th Amendment?
- President’s powers reduced
- Presidential term was reduced from six to five years.
- A two-term limit was put on presidency.
- President would no longer dissolve Parliament until the expiration of 4.5 years of its term, unless it requests so by a resolution of a 2/3rd majority.
- Presidential immunity was diluted by making the Supreme Court’s fundamental rights jurisdiction to official acts of the President.
What was this 19th Amendment?
- Parliament related changes
- Parliament’s term was also reduced to five years from six.
- Repealed the ‘urgent bill’ procedure from Parliamentary proceedings.
- Every bills to be gazetted fourteen days before the start of the legislative process. (Earlier it was 7 days).
- It also restricted the number of Cabinet Ministers to thirty.
What was this 19th Amendment?
- Other Progressive Changes
- Freedom of information has been added to the Fundamental Rights.
- It established the Constitutional Council and the independent commissions.
- Independent commissions to oversee the public service, judiciary, the police, elections, and human rights.
- Bribery and corruption commission made constitutional with more powers.
- Independent commissions on audit and procurement setup.
What next?
- 19th Amendment repeal?
- Tamil minority?
- China – SL bonhomie?
Latest Burning Issues | Free PDF