Cabinet approval to gazette 22nd Amendment and table in Parliament

The Cabinet of Ministers have approved the proposal to gazette the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution and to present it to the Parliament, Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said.

The amendment, which had been referred to as the 21st Amendment so far, will in fact be the 22nd Amendment, as another draft 21st Amendment has already been gazetted.

Policy approval of the Cabinet of Ministers has been given on 2022.06.20 for the preliminary draft for the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution and the 22nd constitutional amendment bill has been prepared by the legal Draftsman accordingly. 

The Attorney General has informed that the bill is in accordance with the Constitution. 

Consequently, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms, to publish the 22nd Constitutional Amendment Bill in the Government Gazette and thereafter present the same in Parliament for approval

Last week, the draft constitutional amendment was tabled and passed during the Cabinet meeting following extensive discussions.

The 22nd Amendment was initially tabled in the Cabinet on June 06 by Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe and the discussion on it had been adjourned on multiple occasions due to failure to reach a consensus.

The Constitutional Amendment is expected to empower Parliament over the executive president and annul the 20A to the Constitution, which had given unfetted unfettered powers to President after abolishing the 19th Amendment.

Under the 22A, the President, the Cabinet of Ministers and the National Council will be held accountable to the Parliament. Fifteen Committees and Oversight Committees are also accountable to Parliament.

The final draft of the amendment has yet to be publicized.