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19th Amendment: Final draft before Cabinet tomorrow

by Ravi Ladduwahetty

The final draft of the proposed 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which incorporates a suggestion from President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, will be presented at a Special Cabinet meeting tomorrow (10), Finance Minister K.N. Choksy told the Daily News last night.

The Amendment which seeks to curb the powers of the President to dissolve Parliament is expected to be gazetted on Wednesday.

The President has suggested that the Draft Legislation be incorporated with a clause that a resolution to dissolve Parliament must be passed by at least half the total number of sitting Members of Parliament as a sequel to the 19th Amendment seeking to restrict the President's powers to dissolve Parliament at the end of one year, Minister Choksy said.

The decision to proceed with the 19th Amendment incorporating the President's proposal was taken at a special meeting chaired by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at Temple Trees last night at which Ministers Choksy, Karu Jayasuriya, Tilak Marapana, S.B.Dissanayake and UNP Chairman Malik Samarawickrema had been present.

Minister Choksy explained that the Government was proceeding with the Amendment incorporating the President's suggestion as has been no response from the President on further amendments.

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