President mandate can obviate two thirds requirement - Vasu

Shirley Wijesinghe

UPFA Ratnapura District candidate Vasudeva Nanayakkara said the Government should look at alternative ways of changing the Constitution without relying on a two thirds majority.

He said there is provision to effect changes to the Constitution on the strength of the recent overwhelming mandate obtained by the President as long as this is within the Constitutional framework. .

Nanayakkara said President J. R. Jayewardene has introduced a system where it is extremely difficult for any party to obtain a two thirds majority. This was craftily done to ensure that the UNP would remain in power perpetually under the PR system. But there is scope on the basis of mandate obtained from the people at the Presidential election to bring about the Constitutional changes to meet the challenges of the nation.

Commenting on the possibility of obtaining a two thirds majority Nanayakkara said the percentage could even exceed that of the Presidential Election with the major split in the Opposition ranks.

He said strictly adhering to such a Constitution is not productive to country and retards political , social and economic development of the country.