By: Isuru Parakrama
July 16, Colombo (LNW): The Lawyers Collective, a group of legal professionals in Sri Lanka, has strongly criticised the proposed Twenty-Second Amendment (22A) to the Constitution, which has recently received approval from the Cabinet of Ministers.
The proposed amendment seeks to require a two-thirds majority in Parliament and a referendum to extend the President’s term or Parliament’s duration beyond five years.
The current limit, set by the Nineteenth Amendment (19A), is five years, although it did not necessitate a referendum as the six-year upper limit remained unchanged.
The Lawyers’ Collective highlights that this amendment appears to be an attempt to extend President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s term, a move that has provoked widespread public discontent.
The Supreme Court has previously rejected attempts to delay Presidential Elections, affirming the necessity of timely electoral processes.
With the Election Commission expected to commence the Presidential Election process shortly, and elections anticipated for late September or early October, the amendment’s passage would compel a simultaneous referendum, further straining national resources.
The government has already cited financial constraints as a reason for postponing local government elections.
There is no pressing need to alter the term limits and suggests that such changes could be considered as part of broader constitutional reforms expected to be undertaken by the new administration, the Collective argued.
The proposed bill is an unnecessary complication and a potential manoeuvre to disrupt the electoral process, they emphasised.
The Lawyers Collective urge all democratic forces to oppose the amendment, deeming it a manipulation of the political landscape.
The statement is endorsed by prominent legal figures, including President’s Counsels Mr. Upul Jayasuriya and Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne, among others, who call for a united front against the proposed bill.
