22nd Amendment approved for second reading at Ministerial Consultative Committee

The Twenty-Second Amendment Bill to the Constitution was approved for its Second Reading at the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms chaired by its Chair and the Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms, Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe.

Briefing those present in terms of the changes intended by the Amendment, the Minister stated that Amendments have been made under the Twenty Second Amendment to the Constitution going beyond what was included in the Nineteenth Amendment to ensure democracy. 

Accordingly, a salient feature is that under Article 41C the President shall appoint the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka subjected to the approval of the Constitutional Council. This was not incorporated in the Nineteenth Amendment, the Minister stated.

Furthermore, under the Nineteenth Amendment, the power for an Executive President to hold Defence, Mahaweli and Environment portfolios has been limited to Defence under the Twenty Second Amendment. 

The 22nd Constitution Amendment Bill set to be taken into debate tomorrow, the 6th from 10.30 am to 5.00 pm. and the 7th from 9.30 am to 5.00 pm. 

Committee Members, Deputy Chairperson of Committees Angajan Ramanathan, State Ministers Sisira Jayakody and Diana Gamage, and Members of Parliament Thalatha Athukorala, Dilan Perera, Chandima Weerakkody, Jayantha Samaraweera, Sarathi Dushmantha, Mohomad Muzammil, M. A. Sumanthiran, Charles Nirmalanathan, (Dr.) Upul Galappaththi, Kokila Gunawardena, Premnath C. Dolawatte, Nimal Piyathissa, Gunathilaka Rajapaksha, Upul Mahendra Rajapaksha, M. Rameshwaran, Sahan Pradeep Withana, Weerasumana Weerasinghe, Gevindu Cumaratunga, Lalith Varna Kumara and Officials were present at the Committee meeting held yesterday (04).