During parliamentary sessions today (19), the Speaker of Parliament informed the House that the Supreme Court had found several clauses of the proposed 20th amendment to the constitution to be inconsistent with the constitution and that a referendum will be required to legally establish the proposed Bill.
Accordingly the Speaker informed the parliament that the decision arrived at by the people following a referendum is to be endorsed and certified by the President in accordance with article 80 of the constitution.
The Speaker also stated the clauses in question will require a 2/3 majority in parliament following the referendum.
“The majority of the court has determined that clauses two, three and four of the bill is inconsistent with the article 3 (4), 12 (1) and 14 (1) of the constitution and under article 83 the bill shall become law if the number of votes cast in favour thereof amounts to not less than two-thirds of the whole number of members including those not present,approved by the people at a referendum and a certificate is endorsed thereon by the President in accordance with article 80,” he said.
It was also ordered to include the determination of the Supreme Court in the record of today’s parliamentary proceedings.
