Opposition urges Speaker to POSTPONE 19A DEBATE
The opposition representatives will urge Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa today to postpone the debate on the 19th Amendment to the Constitution on the principle that the entire process being adopted for its enactment is constitutionally flawed, a parliamentarian said yesterday.
The Bill, after being presented in Parliament, should remain on the Order Paper for one week for people to petition the Supreme Court if they so wished.
The Bill has been listed for debate on April 8, 9 and 10. However, former ExternalAffairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris said people should be given a week to petition the Supreme Court against such a regular Bill in terms of Article 121(1) of the Constitution.
Asserting that the Constitutional Bill presented in Parliament on March 24 was not the current version as numerous amendments have been proposed during the hearing in the Supreme Court, he said the public should have the chance to see the latest one.
He noted the latest Bill, after being presented in Parliament, should remain on the Order Paper for one week for people to petition the Supreme Court if they so wished.
Article 12(1), which deals with the ordinary exercise of constitutional jurisdiction in respect of Bills, says, “The jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to ordinarily determine any such question as aforesaid may be invoked by the President by a written reference addressed to the Chief Justice, or by any citizen by a petition in writing addressed to the Supreme Court. Such reference shall be made, or such petition shall be filed, within one week of the Bill being placed on the Order Paper of Parliament”.
Asked about the next action by the Opposition, Prof. Peiris said he, along with several other Opposition representatives would meet the Speaker and urge him not to entertain the Bill for debate this week.
The jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to ordinarily determine any such question as aforesaid may be invoked by the President by a written reference addressed to the Chief Justice, or by any citizen by a petition in writing addressed to the Supreme Court.