The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) on Monday (6) vowed to take every possible step to defeat the draft bill on the 19th Amendment if its reforms attempt to empower the Prime Ministerial post.
JHU General Secretary and Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka made the observation at a press conference held in Colombo.
“There is a move to switch several executive powers to the Prime Ministerial post. We strongly oppose this reform. We are not against the Executive Presidency, but against its arbitrary powers,” Ranawaka said.
The Minister also pointed out that the JHU never held the position that the Executive Presidency should be abolished. “The JHU wanted to diminish the executive powers.”
“Constitutional changes should take place for new electoral reforms as well, and there is no need to table it in the Parliament as an urgent bill,” said the Minister.
