Rajapaksa to talk with UNP on statute amendments

Colombo, Jul 12: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa will meet the leaders of the main opposition party, United National Party (UNP) on Monday, Jul 12 to hold talks on the proposed amendments to the 1978 constitution, reports a leading news paper.

Ranil Wickremesinghe, UNP leader had met Rajapaksa on Saturday, Jul 10 to discuss the subject.

A cabinet meeting addressed by Prime Minister DM Jayaratne had approved the set of suggestions for amendments to the Constitution which includes the removal of the two-term bar on the office of the President. UNP and some of the constituents of Rajapaksa were against the idea of removing the restriction on a person holding the office of the President for more than two terms.

During the meet with Ranil Wickremesinghe, Rajapaksa agreed to look into the proposal for an executive Prime Minister. All parties favoured the suggestion that under the present Constitution the office of the President is not only too powerful but also is not accountable to parliament. It is not clear whether the amendments would be restrained only to the office of the President and conferring more powers on PM who would be accountable to Parliament.

There is also the suggestion for the creation of an upper house.

OneIndia News