20A: Supreme Court to continue considering petitions

The five-member Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya will continue considering the 39 petitions filed challenging the draft bill of the proposed 20th Amendment to the Constitution today.

Making his submissions yesterday, the Attorney General informed the bench that the government intends to make several changes to the draft bill of the proposed 20th Amendment during the Committee Stage in Parliament.

The Supreme Court bench is expected to deliver its determination pertaining to the Constitutional Amendment within 21 days to the President and the Speaker of House.

39 petitions had been filed before the Supreme Court against the proposed 20th Amendment to the Constitution.

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna is acting as an intermediary in the petitions.

The petitioners are challenging the constitutionality of several clauses of the proposed 20th Amendment and also seeking a declaration that the proposed bill in whole or in part requires the approval of voters at a public referendum and also requires a two-thirds majority in Parliament.

(Source: News Radio)