President to deliver special speech in Parliament on Jan 9

President Maithripala Sirisena is to make a special speech in Parliament on January 09, regarding the converting of parliament into a Constituent Assembly to create 3rd Republican Constitution.  

The Government is set to move a resolution in Parliament next month to convert the House into a Constitutional Assembly which will initiate the process of drafting a new Constitution and abolishing the executive presidential system. 

The government has noticed the Parliament of the motion to convert the House into a Constitutional Assembly and it has been placed in the parliamentary order book as upcoming business in the New Year. 

The officials said the Parliament will be transformed into the Constitutional Assembly on January 9 when President Maithripala Sirisena is due to address the House to mark the beginning of his second year in office. 

The proposed Assembly would seek the views and advice of the people on the new Constitution that will replace the current one, in place since 1978. 

Minister of Parliament Reforms and Mass Media Gayantha Karunathilaka announced this at a discussion held this morning, to brief media heads and officials regarding the programmes organised to mark one year since the inauguration of the President. 

He also stated that President Sirisena will deliver a special lecture at the BMICH in Colombo on January 08 at 2.00pm. 

-Agencies