8/9/2019 Discussion Paper on Constitutional Reform

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Discussion Paper on ConstitutionalReform

(Lanka-e-News- 08.Feb.20!" .!!P#$

 %&e followin' are t&e main proposals for constitutional reform uneriscussion.

Presient %&e Presient will be t&e )ea of *tate" t&e )ea of t&e +,ecutie an t&eCommaner in C&ief of t&e arme forces. %&e Presient s&all alwas" e,cept

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in t&e case of t&e appointment of t&e Prime #inister or as ot&erwisere/uire b t&e Constitution" act on t&e aice of t&e Prime #inister or ofsuc& ot&er #inister as &as been aut&orie b t&e Prime #inister. %&ePresient ma re/uire t&e Prime #inister an suc& #inister to reconsieraice 'ien to &im an ma re/uire Parliament to reconsier a 1illpresente to &im for assent. )e s&all act on aice 'ien after

reconsieration an s&all 'ie assent to a 1ill passe after reconsieration.

n aition to t&e powers an uties presentl e,ercise uner 3rticle 44"t&e Presient s&all promote national reconciliation an inte'ration" ensurean facilitate t&e preseration of reli'ious an et&nic &armon an ensurean facilitate t&e proper functionin' of t&e Constitutional Council an t&einepenent Commissions.

Presiential immunit oes not e,ten to acts or omissions of t&e Presientin &is o5cial capacit. %&e *peaker6C&air of t&e Council of *tate s&all act fort&e Presient.

 %&e term of o5ce of t&e Presient s&all be ! ears. #oe of election of t&ePresient will not be c&an'e. %&is will be a matter for t&e ne,t Parliament.

 %&e Presient ma be remoe b passin' a no-con7ence motion wit& a264 maorit. Present impeac&ment proisions will be elete.

Prime #inister an Cabinet of #inisters %&e Prime #inister will be t&e )ea of t&e 9oernment. %&e Presient s&allappoint as Prime #inister t&e #ember of Parliament" w&o" in &is opinion" ismost likel to comman t&e con7ence of Parliament. %&e Presient maalso appoint a Deput Prime #inister on t&e aice of t&e Prime #inister.

 %&e number of #inisters s&all not e,cee 40. %&e total number of #inistersof *tate an Deput #inisters s&all not e,cee :0. ;&ere t&e parties wit&t&e &i'&est an secon &i'&est number of seats a'ree to take part in a9oernment of National <nit" Parliament ma be resolution increase t&eaboe mentione numbers to not more t&an :! an !! respectiel for t&euration of t&e 9oernment of National <nit. %&is will be applicable to t&ene,t Parliament onl.

*pecial proisions relatin' to t&e present PresientDurin' t&e term of o5ce of t&e present Presient" t&e subects of efence"

#a&aweli eelopment an enironment s&all be assi'ne to &im.(Proisions similar to present 3rticle :: (2$$. n arriin' at an ecision orpolic pertainin' to t&e subects an functions assi'ne to &imself" t&ePresient ma summon meetin's of t&e Cabinet of #inisters an presie atsuc& meetin's.

Parliament %&e term of Parliament s&all be 0! ears. Parliament ma be issoleurin' t&e 7rst : ears an = mont&s onl upon a resolution to t&at e>ect

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bein' passe b a 264 maorit.

Constitutional Council an nepenent CommissionsProisions relatin' to t&e Constitutional Council (CC$ an inepenentinstitutions" repeale b t&e 8t& 3menment" will be reinstate subect tocertain c&an'es. %&e composition of t&e CC is unc&an'e e,cept t&at t&e

0! persons to be nominate b t&e P# an Leaer of ?pposition afterconsultin' leaers of political parties an inepenent 'roups s&all re@ectt&e pluralist c&aracter of *ri Lanka" incluin' professional an socialiersit" an t&at t&e professional e,pertise of t&e nominees will be takeninto consieration. C&an'es will be mae to oercome i5cultiese,perience in t&e past - members eeme to be appointe if Presientoes not appoint followin' nominations" /uorum" CC ma function espiteacancies etc.

 %&e 3uit *erice Commission an t&e National Procurement Commissionare ae to t&e list of inepenent institutions. %&e CC s&all obtain t&e

iews of t&e C&ief Austice" t&e #inister of Austice" t&e 3ttorne-9eneral ant&e Presient of t&e 1ar 3ssociation of *ri Lanka w&en consierin'appointments to t&e *upreme Court an Court of 3ppeal.

National Police CommissionB 9P s&all be entitle to be present at anparticipate in meetin's e,cept at an meetin' w&ere an matter pertainin'to &im is iscusse. ;&ere t&e Commission &as ele'ate its powers to anPolice ?5cer" t&e 9P ma appeal to t&e Commission a'ainst an orermae b suc& Police o5cer in t&e e,ercise of suc& ele'ate powers.

Council of *tate

 %&e functions of t&e Council s&all be to make recommenations to t&ePresient an t&e Cabinet of #inisters on t&e implementation of matterscontaine in t&e *tatement of 9oernment Polic" t&e a&erence to t&eprinciples of 'oo 'oernance b all or'ans of 'oernment" 1illsimmeiatel upon t&eir publication in t&e 9aette" proposals for le'islationas ma be referre b t&e Cabinet of #inisters an matters of publicimportance referre to it b t&e Presient.

CompositionB 4! members appointe ointl b t&e Prime #inister an t&eLeaer of t&e ?pposition wit& t&e approal of t&e Constitutional Council anC&ief #inisters. 20 seats s&all be apportione amon'st t&e reco'niepolitical parties an inepenent 'roups represente in Parliament" inproportion to t&eir representation in Parliament. 3 political part orinepenent 'roup not bein' represente s&all be entitle 0 seat. %&eleaers of t&e reco'nie political parties or inepenent 'roups to w&ic&seats are so apportione s&all be entitle to appoint members to 7ll suc&seats. 3ll appointees s&all be persons of inte'rit w&o &ae ac&ieeistinction in t&eir respectie professions or ocations.C&airman an ice C&airman s&all be appointe b t&e Presient.

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Parliamentar Committees %&ere s&all be a Consultatie Committee for eer #inistr. %&e meetin's of t&e followin' Committees s&all be open to t&e publicB *elect Committees"Consultatie Committees" Public 3ccounts Committee" Committee on Public+nterprises an Committee on Public Petitions. %&e C&airperson of t&ePublic 3ccounts Committee an of t&e Committee on Public +nterprises

s&all be an #P nominate b t&e Leaer of t&e ?pposition.

1ills1ills s&all be publis&e in t&e 9aette : as before t&e 7rst reain'. 1illswill be certi7e b t&e Presient. %&ere will be no ur'ent 1ills.

3uitor 9eneral an 3uit *erice Commission %&e 3uit *erice Commission s&all consist of t&e 3uitor 9eneral" twosenior retire auit o5cers w&o were sere in t&e post of Deput 3uitor9eneral or aboe an two retire o5cers w&o &ae istin'uis&et&emseles in t&e 7els of auitin'" accountanc" law" economics or public

aministration an w&o &ae &a oer 7fteen ears e,perience in a seniore,ecutie post in t&e public serice" appointe b t&e Presient" on t&erecommenations of t&e Constitutional Council.

 %&e functions of t&e Commission s&all be toBapproe rules pertainin' to sc&emes of recruitment" or of t&e appointment"remuneration paable" transfer" ismissal or isciplinar control of t&emembers belon'in' to t&e *ri Lanka *tate 3uit *erice

prepare annual estimates of t&e National 3uit ?5ce an submit to t&e*peaker to be reiewe b Parliament an

isc&ar'e suc& ot&er uties an functions as ma be proie for b law.

 %&e 3uitor 9eneral s&all auit all #inistries an 9oernment Department?5ces" institutions an Commissions receiin' appropriations mae bParliament Proincial Councils" Local 3ut&orities an Public Corporationsbusiness or ot&er unertakin's este in t&e 9oernment b or uner anwritten law an bo or aut&orit establis&e b or uner an written lawwit& public resources proie w&oll or partl an w&et&er irectl orinirectl" b t&e 9oernment companies in w&ic& an suc& bo oraut&orit is &olin' not less t&an fort per centum of t&e s&ares of s&are

capital an companies in w&ic& an suc& bo or aut&orit is &olin' notless t&an fort per centum of t&e s&are capital.

“3uitE inclues tec&nical auits" enironmental an alue for moneauits.

National Procurement Commission %&e Commission s&all consist of 7e members appointe b t&e Presienton t&e recommenation of t&e Constitutional Council" of w&om at least

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t&ree members s&all be persons w&o &ae &a proen e,perience inprocurement" accountanc" law or public aministration.

t s&all be t&e function of t&e Commission to formulate fair" e/uitable"transparent" competitie an cost e>ectie proceures an 'uielines fort&e procurement of 'oos an serices b all 'oernment institutions. %&e

Commission s&all also- (a$ report on w&et&er all procurement of 'oos anserices b 'oernment institutions are base on procurement plansprepare in accorance wit& preiousl approe action plans (b$ report onw&et&er all /uali7e biers for t&e proision of 'oos an serices to'oernment institutions are a>ore an e/ual opportunit to participate int&e biin' process for t&e proision of t&ose 'oos an serices (c$ensure t&at t&e proceures for t&e selection of contractors" an t&eawarin' of contracts" for t&e proision of 'oos an serices to'oernment institutions are fair an transparent ($ report on w&et&ermembers of procurement Committees an %ec&nical +aluation Committees

relatin' to &i'& alue procurements b 'oernment institutions are suitabl/uali7e an (e$ inesti'ate reports of procurements mae b 'oernmentinstitutions outsie establis&e proceures" an to report t&e o5cersresponsible for suc& procurements to t&e releant aut&orities for necessaraction.

Ri'&t to nformation %&e ri'&t to information will be inclue as a funamental ri'&t. %&is ri'&twill be subect to suc& restrictions prescribe b law as are necessar in aemocratic societ in t&e interests of national securit" territorial inte'ritor public safet" for t&e preention of isorer or crime" for t&e protection of 

&ealt& or morals" for t&e protection of t&e reputation or t&e ri'&ts of ot&ers"priac" for preentin' t&e isclosure of information receie in con7ence"or for maintainin' t&e aut&orit an impartialit of t&e uiciar. Parliaments&all" b law" make proision to 'ie e>ect to t&is ri'&t.

Date6s of operationProisions relatin' to t&e Presient an Cabinet of #inisters will come intoforce on 3pril 22" 20!. 3ll ot&er proisions come into force on t&e ate onw&ic& t&e t& 3menment becomes law.

 %ransitional proisionsB %&e members of t&e Public *erice Commission"

National Police Commission" )uman Ri'&ts Commission" Commission tonesti'ate 3lle'ations of 1riber or Corruption an Finance Commission"s&all cease to &ol o5ce on t&e ate on w&ic& t&e t& 3menmentbecomes law.*pecial proisions relatin' to t&e perio 22 3pril 20! to t&e conclusion oft&e ne,t 9eneral +lection

 %&e Presient s&all presie oer meetin's of t&e Cabinet of #inisters. %&ePresient ma" wit& t&e concurrence of t&e Prime #inister" assi'n to &imself 

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or &erself an subect or function an ma" wit& like concurrence"etermine t&e #inistries to be in &is or &er c&ar'e. %&e Presient s&all" ont&e aice of t&e +lection Commission" ensure t&e creation of properconitions for t&e conuct of a free an fair 9eneral +lection of #embers ofParliament.

---------------------------b (20!-02-08 24B4:B$

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