The Government will not redraft the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, but will incorporate any changes proposed by the nine-member committee only during the committee stage of the debate, a top source said on September 15, reports Daily Mirror. The committee headed by Education Minister G.L. Peiris which studied the 20th Amendment submitted its report to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. The government has sought to enact the 20th Amendment primarily to roll back the 19th Amendment empowering the President further. If enacted, the 20th Amendment will scrap the constitutional council that recommends appointments to the independent commissions and to key posts such as the Secretary-General of Parliament and the Attorney General. The new amendment envisages the parliamentary council to make observations for the president in making such appointments.
Meanwhile, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) on September 14, urged the Government to withdraw the gazetted 20th Amendment to the Constitution as it had already created issues within the Government itself and to bring in a new legislation to rectify the technical issues in the 19th Amendment, reports Daily Mirror. SJB National Organiser Tissa Attanayake told a press conference that the best option available now is to bring in a piece of legislation to rectify the technical issues in the 19th Amendment.