The 19th amendment is a ‘constitutional coup’ to empower the Prime Ministerial post, the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) charged on Tuesday (24).
JHU General Secretary and Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka made the observation at a press conference held in Colombo.
“In terms of amendments, there is a move to make the Executive President powerless and to make the Prime Minster post powerful,” the Minister said.
Ranawaka also vowed to take every possible measure to defeat the draft bill on the 19th Amendment to the constitution.
“The JHU is not against the Executive Presidency, but against its arbitrary powers,” Ranawaka added.
“New reforms demonstrate that the Executive President is no longer the chief of the government.
And the President will need to seek advices from the Prime Minister in order to take each and every decision,” he said.
According to the proposed reforms, the term of the Executive President is due to be reduced from six years to five. Powers vested with the President to dissolve parliament will be also granted to the Parliament itself. The Presidential immunity from being sued over matters conducted during his period of office is to also be removed under the proposed reforms.
