Sri Lanka will benefit if 18A and 19A are abolished – President
Posted on June 23rd, 2019

Courtesy Adaderana

President Maithripala Sirisena states that the country will benefit only if the 18th and 19th Amendments to the Constitution are abolished.

President Sirisena on Sunday called for repealing the 19th Amendment to the Constitution which has curtailed the presidential powers, blaming it for the political instability in the country.

The 19A was the main election pledge of President Sirisena when he challenged former president Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Opposition’s common candidate in 2015. Rajapaksa in 2010 had moved the 18A which allowed him to contest the presidency any number of times by lifting the then existing two-term bar.

President Sirisena in 2015 introduced the 19A, which reduced the presidential term for five years while taking away his absolute control over the dissolution of Parliament.

The 19A has also barred two-term presidents from running for a third time.

However, the President, addressing a gathering here on Sunday, blamed the 19th Amendment for the political instability in the country.

It has been four years since we formed the government. It is time to conduct a post-mortem with only four months to go before the next election,” he said, addressing a gathering here today.

The biggest mistake of this government was the 19th Amendment. It created instability,” the President said.

People accuse us of running an unstable government. They say that me and Prime Minister (Ranil Wickremesinghe) are pulling in different directions…the reason is the 19A,” he said.

President Sirisena was made to introduce 19A as a concerted civil society action to make the presidency accountable to people. The reform process was expected to lead to a new Constitution by abolishing the presidential system — a long held demand since it was enacted in 1978.

2 Responses to “Sri Lanka will benefit if 18A and 19A are abolished – President”

  1. Christie Says:

    The Indian puppet Sirisena knows 18A and 19 A or anything else he will benefit and Indian Empire.

  2. dhane Says:

    After becoming unexpectedly President of Sri Lanka in 2015 January Maithripala Sirisena was in a dream world. At that time Ranil was his best confident friend & colleague. Sira was prepared to do anything what Ranil wants who had his own agenda in his pocket. Within 100 Govt: program introduced 19th amendment. There was only one & only patriotic PM in the Parliament at that time and it was Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera. All those who avoid or absent for voting against 19th amendment were covered those who voted were traitors of the nation. Soon looted the Central Bank and Sira dissolved the parliament just before 1st Cope Committee report saving Ranil & his 40 thieves. I do not know from which end this ungrateful President talking saying 19th Amendment for the political instability in the country. It is he who initiated. However after Maithripala Sirisena presidential period is over he will regret for his balance life time for the damage he did to this country.

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

 

 


Copyright © 2024 LankaWeb.com. All Rights Reserved. Powered by Wordpress