To facilitate development activities:

Amendments to Constitution in House soon

by L.S. Ananda WEDAARACHCHI

Amendments to the Constitution will be presented in Parliament early next month, according to Water Supply and Drainage Minister and Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardena.

He said that the proposed amendments would remove the limitations on the terms of the executive presidency. The 17th Amendment to the Constitution will also be amended to facilitate development activities, he said.

Minister Gunawardena said that after obtaining Cabinet approval the draft amendments would be referred to the Supreme Court for a determination on its Constitutionality.

The Minister said that the Government can easily secure a two-third majority in Parliament for the Constitutional amendments. Apart from the SLMC, more Opposition members are also expected to support the Government.

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) has decided to support the Constitutional amendments proposed by the Government. The SLMC would not join the Government, but vote for the amendments, said SLMC National Organiser and former Member of Parliament Shafeek Rajabdeen.

MPs Prabha Ganeshan and P. Digambaram joined the Government two weeks ago pledging support to President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The Government can now muster the support of 153 MPs with the SLMC’s support, he said.