The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna-led National People’s Power (NPP) has presented a set of proposals to be considered for the 21st Amendment to the Constitution.
NPP MP Vijitha Herath has written to Justice Minister Dr.Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe explaining the Party’s 9-point proposal. Under these proposals, Parliamentarians will be unseated from their seats if they leave the Party they were elected to Parliament. The NPP has also underlined that the President should not hold any Cabinet portfolio and that Cabinet should be limited to 25. The number of Deputy Ministers should also be 25, and there should not be any other ministerial portfolios, including State Ministries. The number of Cabinet Ministers should not be increased when a National Government is formed. The portfolios of the Ministries and their subjects should be included in the Constitution. There should be provisions to create new Ministries based on contemporary and future requirements.
The NPP has also fixed a maximum age of 70 for candidates contesting the Parliamentary Election. It has stated that the Ninth Parliament should be dissolved within six months of the enforcement of the 21st Amendment.
It has proposed that the Commission to the Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) and the Police should have the power to commence an investigation, by their own initiative or following a complaint on any individual, who is bound by the law to submit Assets and Liabilities Declaration, based on that Declaration.
NPP has underlined that dual citizens should not qualify to be appointed to the Constitutional Council, Independent Commissions and other posts made by the Constitutional Council. The University Grants Commission Members and Ministry Secretaries should be appointed by the Constitutional Council. The NPP has proposed to amend the provision related to the Presidential Pardon, to make the Parliamentary approval necessary when granting Presidential Pardon to convicts, who are sentenced to death, and convicts, whose offences come under the Public Property Act or the CIABOC Act, and convicts, who were found guilty of rape, serious sexual abuse, misusing State property, fraud, and several other criminal offences.
by Daily News Sri Lanka
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