Parliamentary democracy will be shattered by 20A in its present form, claims March 12 Movement

Text and picture by PRIYAN DE SILVA

Executive Director of PAFEREL Rohana Hettiarachchi speaking on behalf of the steering committee of the March 12 Movement, told the media, on Tuesday, said that if the 20th Amendment to the Constitution was passed in its present form, Parliamentary democracy, which had lasted for decades would be shattered.

Hettiarachchi said that checks and balances which could be considered as hallmarks of parliamentary democracy would collapse as the absolute power of Parliament to control public finance would be lost.

The actual promise made at the last parliamentary election was to bring a new Constitution and not an interim constitutional provision like the 20th Amendment.

Hettiarachchi said that the most decisive role in such an endeavour would be played by the new MPs. He urged them to read the constitutional Amendment twice.

“These people’s representatives also hold the administrative and financial responsibility of the state. One can only become a good representative by reading this amendment to the constitution twice and expressing one’s own independent opinion thereon.”