Lawyers & civil society figures opposed to them say the only march is towards tyranny & the subversion of democracy!!! The changes are DICTATORIAL.!!!

Sri Lanka constitution changes

Charles Haviland
Colombo correspondent

Sri Lanka’s parliament is next week (Wed 8th Sept) likely to pass into law a set of major constitutional changes which would significantly increase the powers of the president.
This will allow President Mahinda Rajapaksa to stand again for office as many times as he wishes.

Currently one person is limited to two terms as president.

Emergency measure

The changes are being proposed as an emergency measure and the Supreme Court is currently deciding whether they can simply be enacted by a two-thirds majority in parliament, without the need for a referendum.

The state broadcaster calls these proposed changes a “milestone in the country’s onward march”.

Lawyers and civil society figures opposed to them say the only march is towards tyranny and the subversion of democracy.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa

The constitutional amendment would allow President Rajapaksa, who was re-elected in January, to stand a third time in 2016 and as many times as he wants after that. The amendment would vastly boost his powers.

Henceforth he would singlehandedly appoint the heads and all members of a series of commissions, including those on elections and human rights, as well as all the top judges and legal officials.

In doing this he’d only have to seek what are called the “observations” of a five-member parliamentary committee, but these are not binding.

Hitherto such appointments could only be made on the recommendation of a larger constitutional council; that council would be abolished under the changes.

The government says the amendment will enhance the people’s electoral choice by removing the two-term limit, and will streamline public appointments.

Dictatorial

Its opponents say the changes are dictatorial. They ask why they’re being proposed as an urgent measure and allege that the plans were drawn up in secrecy with no public consultation.

If the Supreme Court agrees that parliament is competent to enact the amendment, it will almost certainly be passed because the government has persuaded a number of opposition members to vote with it, giving itself a two-thirds majority.

Sandeshaya BBC