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Here’s a look at changes made to 19A
Sri Lanka’s parliament overwhelmingly passed reforms on Tuesday (April 28) reducing some of the president’s powers, in a move that did not go as far as President Maithripala Sirisena had promised but is nevertheless seen as a victory for the leader and his government.
The main constitutional proposals of the 19th Amendment include the transformation of the Presidential form of government to a Presidential-Parliamentary system of government and the restoration of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution.
Ahead of the January presidential election, Sirisena pledged to curb the power of the presidency, restoring a two-term limit and reviving independent bodies to manage key institutions such as the police and the judiciary.
However, he had to scale back his plans after the Supreme Court said the government needed a referendum if it wanted to transfer powers such as the make-up of the cabinet to the prime minister from the president.
The Supreme Court had determined that the 19th Amendment is consistent with the Constitution, but several sections of the Bill require the approval of the people at a referendum according to the Constitution.
