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Current affairs forms an important component of several competitive exams such as the UPSC Civil Services Examination, SSC CGL, Bank PO & PSU entrance tests, etc. Therefore, understanding terms/concepts/events that are in the news is critical for aspirants. We at PaGaLGuY bring you this series of articles in which we shall explain some of these important concepts/events for you.

In this article we are discussing Sri Lanka’s 19th constitutional amendment.

Sri Lanka has created a historical moment by adopting the 19th constitutional amendment (19A) with overwhelming majority. The amendment is the revocation of the 18th amendment that empowered the president with extreme executive powers.

Important features of this amendment are as follows:

1. The terms of the president and parliament are reduced from six to five years.

2. A two-term limit has been introduced for presidential candidates.

3. President’s power to dissolve the parliament can be exercised only after four & half years of commencement of the parliament. (Prior to the amendment s/he could do the same in one year.)

4. The constitutional council has been revived again. With the 18th amendment, the constitutional council was replaced with a five-member parliamentary council.

5. This amendment proposed the establishments of independent commissions. Though the executive power of the president has been reduced, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has not abolished the presidential system completely. The president still remains the head of the cabinet and can appoint ministers with the prime minister’s advice. The court also held that the president should be responsible to the parliament and the executive power should be identified at all times as the power of the people.

Constitutional Council: 

The constitutional council comprises 10 members out of which 3 are non-political members and 3 ex-officio members, namely the Speaker of the parliament, the prime minister & the leader of opposition. The council has been empowered to recommend names of people to be appointed as chairpersons of independent commissions. President cannot make such appointments without the recommendation of this council.

         The 19th amendment has ended presidential dictatorship that has deteriorated the Sri Lankan democracy for the past decade. Executive powers are balanced now and the amendment has ensured the independence of judiciary. There is hope that this will bring good governance, reducing political interference & decentralisation of power.