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Presidential Commission provisions to be repealed

by Bharatha Malawaraarachchi and Ranil Wijayapala

The Government has decided to repeal provisions in the present Constitution which deal with the Special Presidential Commissions, as part of the Government's Constitutional reforms.

Introducing this proposed Constitutional reform, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris told the weekly Cabinet briefing yesterday that the contention of the Government is that inquiries of this kind should be carried out judicially. "The laws of the land, the laws of evidence and the laws of natural justice should apply," he added.

Minister Peiris said the Presidential Commission mechanism has been strongly criticised in many quarters as not being compatible with the requirements of natural justice.

He also added that there had been a variety of legal consequences that attach to findings of this type of Special Presidential Commission. "For an example, a person who is found guilty may be deprived of civic rights."

Prof. Peiris said the Government does not believe that everything done in the past is correct." We are prepared to adopt an attitude of self-scrutiny. If mistakes have been made in the past, we are prepared to acknowledge them and correct them in the future."

The proposed Constitutional reform includes allowing a conscience vote to MPs, restraining the President from dissolving Parliament without consulting the Prime Minister and the Speaker, establishing the executive committee system, scrutinising public finances by Parliament and strengthening media freedom.

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