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New draft Constitution restricts Cabinet to 20, curbs crossovers

Published

2 years ago

2023/10/16

A nine-member committee that formulated a draft Constitution, as directed by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, has recommended that the number of ministers be restricted to 20. In terms of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, enacted in 2015, the President could appoint 30 ministers and there was provision for the appointment of 40 non-Cabinet ministers. However, the committee headed by Romesh de Silva, PC, has said the country can manage with 20 ministers and the number of deputies shouldn’t exceed 20.

This was disclosed at a symposium held at Sri Lanka Foundation (SLF) recently. The committee recommended that the President held the Defence portfolio. Since July last year, President Wickremesinghe has restricted the number of ministers to fewer than 20. SLPP sources told The Island that President Wickremesinghe has disregarded their request made in July last year to accommodate nearly 10 members in the Cabinet.

According to the draft Constitution there shall be at least one Cabinet Minister from every province appointed from among the members of the National State Assembly representing the government in any of the electoral divisions of such province where representation is available.

Perhaps one of the most important proposals were restrictions imposed on lawmakers switching allegiance. A member of the National State Assembly, who has contested the election being nominated by a recognised political party, voluntarily gives up his membership of such party or obtains the membership of another political party or votes against a party decision, such member shall vacate his seat in the National State Assembly, unless such member together with others have constituted a separate group which is not less than one-third of the members of such party represented in the National State Assembly. If a political party merges with another political party and a member is not in agreement with such merges and the member opts not to join with such new party consequent to, such member shall not vacate his seat.

Two other vital proposals were that a Member of the National State Assembly shall not be entitled to any exemption or reduction of any tax, duty or other levy more favourable than those exemptions and reductions granted to public officers. Members of the National State Assembly will not be permitted to alienate property acquired using such privilege during his tenure as a member of the National State Assembly.

A member of the National State Assembly who has been given any residence or vehicle is required to handover such residence or vehicle within one month of his relinquishing his office and failure to do so will be treated as an offence committed by such member which may result in imprisonment or a payment of fine

(SF)

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Related Topics:Cabinet draft Constitution restrict President Wickremesinghe

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CEYPETCO Fuel prices increased from midnight today (21)

Published

2 hours ago

2026/03/21

Priyan

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (Ceypetco) has announced a revision of fuel prices, effective from midnight today (21).

Accordingly,

Auto Diesel – Rs. 382 (increased by Rs. 79)

Super Diesel – Rs. 443 (increased by Rs. 90)

Petrol 92 Octane – Rs. 398 (increased by Rs. 81)

Kerosene – Rs. 255. (increased by Rs. 60)

Petrol 95 Octane – Rs. 455 (increased by Rs. 90)

Latest News

Advisory for Severe Lightning issued for Galle, Matara, Kaluthara and Rathnapura districts

Published

9 hours ago

2026/03/21

Priyan

Advisory for Severe Lightning Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre Issued at 12.30 p.m. 21 March 2026, valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 21 March 2026

Thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur at some places in the Galle, Matara, Kaluthara and Rathnapura districts after 1.00 p.m.

There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.

ACTION REQUIRED:

The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:

 Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.

 Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.

 Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.

 Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.

 Beware of fallen trees and power lines.

 For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.

News

Sri Lanka says it denied US request to land two aircraft at Mattala airport

Published

14 hours ago

2026/03/21

Priyan

Sri Lanka’s president says his government turned down a request from the United States to land two US combat aircraft at a civilian airport earlier this month.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told Sri Lanka’s parliament on Friday that Washington had requested permission for the aircraft to land at Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport in southern Sri Lanka from March 4 to 8.

The request was made on February 26, two days before the US and Israel launched their military offensive against Iran.

“They wanted to bring two warplanes armed with eight antiship missiles from a base in Djibouti”, Dissanayake told lawmakers. “We turned down the request to maintain Sri Lanka’s neutrality”, he added to applause.

The US-Israeli war on Iran has sparked widespread concern globally, as Iranian missile and drone attacks across the wider Middle East have sent energy prices soaring and fuelled fears of a widening conflict.

US President Donald Trump has also been pressuring Washington’s allies to show more support for the war, slamming NATO countries as “cowards” for refusing to help secure the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has essentially shuttered the critical Gulf waterway amid the war, forcing leaders around the world to scramble to try to offset the effects on their economies and energy supplies.

Amid the turmoil, many countries have refused to get directly involved in the war while calling for urgent de-escalation.

On Friday, Switzerland announced that it would halt any weapons exports to the US that could be used in military operations against Iran, citing its longstanding policy of neutrality.

“The export of war materiel to countries involved ⁠in the international armed conflict with Iran cannot be authorised for the duration of the conflict”, the Swiss government said.

Sri Lanka’s president also cited his country’s neutrality in the decision to deny the US request to land the two aircraft at Matalla airport earlier this month.

Dissanayake said he had received another request that same day, on February 26, from Iran to seek permission for three naval vessels to make a goodwill visit to Sri Lanka.

“With two requests before us, the decision was clear,” he said, noting that the government denied both to avoid taking sides as signs of escalating conflict emerged.

“Had we said ‘yes’ to Iran, we would have had to say ‘yes’ to the US, as well”, Dissanayake added.

In early March, Sri Lanka’s navy rescued 32 Iranian crew off IRIS Dena after it was torpedoed by a US submarine off the country’s coast, killing at least 84 people.

Days later, Sri Lanka evacuated more than 200 crew members from a second Iranian vessel, IRIS Bushehr, after the ship requested assistance from Colombo.

[Aljazeera]