SL: Parliament votes to curb prez powers

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s parliament voted on Friday to curtail the powers of the president, a partial concession to the protest movement that forced the island nation’s former head-ofstate into exile. An unprecedented economic downturn this year fuelled intense public anger, with the government accused of mismanagement and of precipitating drastic food and petrol shortages.

Months of protests culminated in July with a huge crowd storming the official residence of then-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled the country under military escort and issued his resignation from Singapore.

His successor Ranil Wickremesinghe took charge pledging to curb the sweeping powers of his office, which had been expanded by Rajapaksa’s administration.

Parliament voted overwhelmingly to endorse a constitutional amendment that limited presidential control of the police, judiciary and appointments to the civil service.

“From the people’s point of view, this is a good bill and that is why we support it,” said former president Maithripala Sirisena, who is currently an opposition legislator.

Opposition parties supported the measure but complained that it did not go far enough, after backing the protest movement’s calls for reducing the presidency to a ceremonial role.

The amendment also restored a ban on dual citizens from contesting national elections after it was repealed by Rajapaksa two years ago.