Cabinet approval for 22nd Amendment to Constitution

The draft of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution has been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, the Justice Ministry said.

The draft constitutional amendment was presented to the Cabinet by Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms, Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe and subsequently approved by the Cabinet.

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 was 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 had informed that the bill is in accordance with the Constitution. 

Consequently, the Cabinet of Ministers had 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

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 proposals for the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution were published in a gazette notification issued on June 29, 2022.