Govt. abandons effort to pass 20A

The government has decided to give up on its efforts to pass the 20th Amendment to the Constitution which contains provisions to hold elections to all Provincial Councils on the same day, as well the decision to postpone elections for the North Central, Sabaragamuwa and Eastern Provincial Councils.

The debate on the amendment was scheduled to be held on
Wednesday (20).

It is learnt that the main reason for the government to give up on passing this draft Bill was the Supreme Court ruling that a referendum should be held to approve several important clauses in this Bill in addition to it having to be passed in Parliament with a two-third majority.

The decision of the Supreme Court regarding the draft Bill has already been sent to the President, with the Speaker scheduled present it to Parliament tomorrow (19).

With the barriers to holding PC elections taken off it is now expected that the elections of the Sabaragamuwa, North-Central and Eastern Provincial Councils would be held before the year ends. (Ranjan Kasthuri)

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