16 May 2011
The Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), an ally of the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) has renewed its call for the abolition of the concurrent list in the 13th Amendment and for the establishment of a senate or second chamber as part of a solution to the national question.
Minister and EPDP Leader Douglas Devananda said he submitted his proposals to the government at a recent meeting. He said he had called for the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution as an initial step in evolving a political solution.
“We want the government to go beyond the 13th Amendment in the devolution of power. We asked the government to establish a senate and to abolish the concurrent list,” he said.
When asked whether his proposal for a senate is similar to what the government had outlined to the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), he said there could be differences of views on the matter.
Soon after the Indo-Lanka Accord in 1987, the government introduced the 13th Amendment to the Constitution providing for the establishment of nine provincial councils in the country with powers devolved under the provincial and concurrent lists.
The provincial councils have full statute-making power with respect to the Provincial Council List, and shared statute-making power with respect to the Concurrent List while matters set out in the Reserved List are under the central government. (KB)
DM