Constitutional reform

Image: TNA parliamentary group led by its leader R.Sampanthan meeting former president M. Sirisena to discuss issues related to devolution of powers. (file) ” The last 30 years have seen the country making such positive efforts towards resolving issues that have plagued it since Independence by meaningfully acknowledging the plural nature of our polity. We […]

The European Union Delegation Comprising of Mr Riccardo Chelleri, (Policy Officer Democracy and Electoral Observation) and Ms. Anne Vaugier Chatterjee (Deputy Head, Political, Trade,and Communications Section) and others met with the Leader of the Tamil National Alliance Mr. R Sampanthan today in Colombo. Briefing the Delegation Mr. Sampanthan highlighted that the people in this country […]

Today in this House it is the UNP that is in Government. The responsibility is with you. The Prime Minister became the Chairman of the Steering Committee that has met over 80 times and has brought two comprehensive reports. The second one includes a draft of the constitution made by the experts to the steering […]

The Constitutional Expert Committee’s report, which was tabled in the Sri Lankan parliament on Friday abolishes the powerful Executive Presidency and replaces it by a Westminster style parliamentary system with a powerful Prime Minister and a ceremonial President. As per the report which can be described as the “draft constitution”, the President will cease to […]

Steering Committee unable to reach an agreement on draft PM asks Constitutional Assembly and public to decide fate of the process Acknowledges taking process forward difficult without 2/3 majority  Despite lack of draft Constitution, MR demands it be tabled TNA says new Constitution was aimed at uniting all Sri Lankans  JVP slams PM, points out […]

Image:  Member of the European Parliament and of the Friends of Sri Lanka group in the European Parliament Hon Geoffrey Van Orden met with TNA today in Colombo. ( TNA photo) The draft Constitution which was done by a panel of experts which was to be presented in Parliament in 7th of December 2018, will be presented before 4th […]

There is consensus on power devolution at Steering Committee Three tier of governance proposed  We still have hope on constitution making process Once the elections come, we will sit together and decide on our teams  We never discussed the 13th Amendment Jaffna district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian M. A. Sumanthiran in an interview with Daily mirror , speaks […]

TNA leader Sampanthan says that ” We cannot entertain any further undue delays in this matter the draft Constitution must be presented to parliament and debated and upon receiving a two-thirds majority it should be approved by the people at a referendum he added.” He was speaking at the  meeting with the visiting Norwegian State Secretary […]

The full text of the  proposal for the 20th amendment to the Constitution that includes a proposal to abolish executive presidency fellows as a PDF.  The draft of the proposal was handed over as a private member’s proposal of the JVP Leader Anura Dissanayaka to the Secretary-General of Parliament in front of the Speaker Karu […]

The first draft of the new Constitution will be presented to the Steering Committee on Thursday, May 24, after much interruption, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP, M. A. Sumanthiran told the Sunday Observer in an exclusive interview. The presentation will take place after the expert panel, advising the steering committee, concludes and finalises the draft […]

Image: TNA  meeting EU delegation. ( TNA photo) (Press release/05 April 2018) A European delegation comprising of six members including the Standing Rapporteur for South Asia, from the European Parliament Committee on International Trade, met with the Leader of the Opposition and the Tamil National Alliance Hon R. Sampanthan at the Office of the Leader […]

The Hon. Rajavarothiam Sampanthan – Leader of the Opposition). Mr. Speaker, we are debating today a Motion of No-Confidence against no less a person than the Prime Minister and the Motion substantially deals with the question of corruption. Corruption has been the worst disease that has afflicted our country. There was a time when there […]

Introduction.  With less than two years to the next Presidential election, Sri Lanka is facing one of the most serious political crisis in recent times. In the Local Government elections in February 2018, the party of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa secured the majority of votes in many constituencies, pointing towards a possible political shift. Sri […]

Jayadeva Uyangoda. ( The Hundu) Sri Lanka’s local government election held on February 10 has become more than a mid-term poll that usually helps the opposition. Rather, it has led to an immediate political crisis of sorts, threatening the stability of the present government. While the disunited ruling coalition, jointly headed by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime […]

R. Sampanthan. With gratitude to our forefathers who fought for independence, I issue this message on 70th Independence Day of our Country. We are at a crucial juncture of our history as we celebrate seventy years of Independence. As a country, we have not been able to enjoy the true benefits of the independence in […]

Meera Srinivasan. Local government elections this month will have a bearing on the coalition government in Colombo. Sri Lanka’s local government elections, scheduled to be held on February 10, have elicited the interest of a national election, and with good reason. This is the first time the country will go to the polls in about […]

  By Arjuna Ranawana. When President Maithripala Sirisena took office three years ago he voluntarily surrendered most of the powers of the executive presidency to the Prime Minister and Parliament, and supported a reduction in the term of office of the President from 6 to 5 years. It was a key part of the Reform […]

R.Sampanthan. My heartiest Thaipongal wishes to all Tamil people who live in Sri Lanka and abroad. As a new year begins, there are many expectations in the hearts of the people. In particular, the Tamil people’s long-standing aspiration for a lasting political solution to the national question still remains unattained. During last year, meaningful steps […]

Image@ “The cold war between President Maithripala Sirisena (left) and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is likely to further weaken the government’s capacity to advance constitutional reforms.” The leaders in Colombo.   | Photo Credit: AFP. In Sri Lanka, the biggest obstacle to constitutional reforms comes from within the government Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his […]

Image courtesy of Asian Mirror (file photo). By R.Sampanthan. Mr. Speaker, I want to commence my speech by congratulating the Finance Minister, the Hon. Mangala Samaraweera who has presented his first Budget at a time when the country’s economy is in much difficulty. The Hon. Minister is an old, sincere Friend who has always been […]

Rajavarothiam Sampanthan – Leader of the Opposition. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We are debating the Interim Report submitted to the Constitutional Assembly by the Steering Committee appointed by the Constitutional Assembly in regard to the framing of a new Constitution for our country. This is a very important debate, Sir, a historic debate. Our first […]

Mangala Samaraweera. All of us here in this House are representatives elected by the people of this great country – people from different communities, speaking different languages, holding different religious beliefs, and living in different parts of this great country. People, irrespective of their backgrounds and which part of the country they live in, who […]

M.A. Sumanthiran. Thank you, Sir. Prior to that brief interruption, I was saying that this is the first time, even though it is only at a proposal stage, a party that is largely representative of the Tamil people of this country is agreeing with. I am saying because in the position paper that we have […]

Image:Tamil National Alliance’s M A Sumanthiran . Colombo, Oct 30 Tamil political representatives’ acceptance of proposals in the interim report of the Constitutional Assembly represents a “historic” moment for Sri Lanka, a senior TNA legislator told parliament here today. The Tamil National Alliance’s M A Sumanthiran was addressing the House when it met as the […]

(28  October 2017/LfD)It was reported that the Bar Council of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, at a special meeting, held on 23rd October 2017 resolved to express its grave concern about the proposed amendments to Articles 1 and 2 of the present Constitution. The Statement of the Bar Council also alleges that proposed amendments […]

Image: The absence of a policy and strategy of political communication aimed at sustaining public knowledge, engagement, and support for reform has led to the danger of  anti reform politics staging  a come back. It is silly in the extreme to think that having the words ‘unitary state’ in a piece of paper called the constitution magically […]

Image:Police tackle Tamil demonstrators showing black flags to Sirisena in Jaffna, Photo: Tamil Guardian. P K Balachandran. Elections to the Sri Lankan local bodies and Provincial Councils are due in 2018. But President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe heading the Yahapalanaya or Good Governance regime in Colombo, not prepared for it. The lack […]

Image: Different but equal (file photo of a agitation held in Colombo) “Our Constitution should help foster a society that nurtures a culture of peace based on mutual respect, understanding and cooperation. A constructive dialogue within and between the Sri Lankan diaspora communities around the globe can make a vital contribution towards building trust and reconciliation, […]

R. Sampanthan. I consider it a great privilege that I as the Leader of the Opposition have with the Hon .Prime Minister been able to move this Motion commemorating today’s sitting of Parliament as the 70th Anniversary of it’s first meeting. The first meeting of Sri Lanka’s independent Parliament, was on the 14th October 1947 […]

Image: The name of booklet in the hand ” Lets get ready for a new constitution. (c) M.Deshapriya. Introduction. The Constitutional Assembly established by Parliamentary Resolution of 09th March 2016 unanimously appointed a Steering Committee at its first sitting on 05th April 2016. The Steering Committee identified 12 main subject areas and assigned six of […]