A petition has been filed before the Supreme Court in support of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution Bill presented to Parliament by the government.
The petition was filed by National People’s Power (NPP) Member of Parliament Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi.
The petitioner argues that the provisions contained in the proposed amendment do not violate the sovereignty of the people or the independence of the judiciary.
Accordingly, the petitioner states that the Bill does not require approval through a public referendum and can be enacted through the parliamentary process prescribed by the Constitution.
The petition has been filed amid a growing legal and political debate over the government’s proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution.
The amendment has already drawn challenges before the Supreme Court, with at least 21 petitions filed challenging its constitutionality.
The government has maintained that it is prepared to proceed with the proposed constitutional reforms and has indicated that it would comply with any direction issued by the Supreme Court regarding the need for a referendum.
