Parliamentary Committee on 17th Amendment

Ruwanthi Abeyakoon

COLOMBO: President Mahinda Rajapaksa will appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee to look into lapses in the 17th Amendment to the Constitution, Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said yesterday.

Briefing the media in Colombo, Samarasinghe praised President Rajapaksa for realising the need for scrutinising the Amendment.

The proposal to appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee will be presented to the Cabinet today. The Minister stated that several issues remain unsolved because of a lapse in the 17th Amendment.

"Because of this lapse the Elections Commission cannot be appointed and the Elections Commissioner cannot retire. The Amendment should be altered to develop the country and protect democracy. Many political parties have brought this to the attention of the Parliament prior to this," the Minister said.

"We as a Government are conscious of this issue and the 17th Amendment will be a workable Amendment immediately," Samarasinghe assured. There will be a reconstitution of the Constitutional Council to support this endeavour.

The Parliamentary Select Committee will comprise members of all political parties out of which a chairman will be appointed.

Samarasinghe said the fullest cooperation will be extended to the Constitutional Council.

He said he would highlight the steps taken to make democracy vibrant in Sri Lanka at the Human Rights Council in Geneva which will be held on June 19. The Minister said the international organisations have made democracy, political stability and human rights the foundation of international aid.

Thus the decision taken by the President is commendable. Samarasinghe hopes for the support of all the political parties to put the 17th Amendment into effect.