The 20th Amendment to the Constitution directly challenges the power of Parliament and thereby directly violates the sovereignty of the people, Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court was told when 39 petitions filed against the proposed bill were taken up for consideration on September 29, reports Colombo Page. The petitions filed against the 20th Amendment were taken up before a five-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, Justices Buwaneka Aluvihare, Sisira de Abrew, Priyantha Jayawardena and Vijith Malalgoda. Attorney-at-Law Suren Fernando appearing before the bench of the Supreme Court on behalf of the General Secretary of the main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) said, “The proposed bill is a direct challenge to the power of Parliament. It is also a direct violation of the sovereignty of the people.”
Meanwhile, seven intervenient petitions were filed in the Supreme Court on September 29, supporting the 20th Amendment to the Constitution which was tabled in Parliament by the Government, reports Daily Mirror. Of the seven petitions, three were filed by Ministers G.L. Peiris, Nimal Siripala de Silva and Gamini Lokuge. Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Party General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam also filed a petition in favour for the proposed 20th Amendment. The petitioners said the draft of the 20th Amendment was compliant with the existing constitution and that it need not be approved at a referendum as approval with a two-thirds majority in Parliament was sufficient.
Separately, the Attorney General Dappula de Livera PC on September 29, submitted to the Supreme Court that the Government intends to introduce certain amendments to the proposed 20th Amendment to the Constitution (Bill) at the committee stage in Parliament, reports Daily News. The Attorney General made these remarks when 39 Special Determination petitions filed challenging the constitutionality of the proposed 20th Amendment to the Constitution were taken up before the Supreme Court five-judge-bench.