News
Constitutional error could give Ranil and Parliament another year
ECONOMYNEXT –Sri Lanka’s constitution could allow President Ranil Wickremesinghe to extend his tenure by almost a year due to a mistake in the constitution that has been overlooked since the 19th Amendment in April 2015.
The sweeping 19th Amendment sought to establish democratic reforms, ensure good governance, and shorten the terms of both the president and parliament to five years. However, it neglected to ensure consistency regarding tenure.
While all references to the six-year terms of both the president and parliament were changed to five years in line with the 19th Amendment, Article 83(b) was overlooked and left unchanged, giving President Wickremesinghe a loophole to extend his term.
Any bill to extend the five-year term of the president or parliament requires approval in parliament with a two-thirds majority, followed by endorsement at a referendum.
However, under Article 83(b), such a referendum is required only if the bill extends the term to over six (6) years, not five (5) years as it should have been.
This means that, technically, Wickremesinghe could extend his own term and that of parliament by 11 months and 29 days without breaching the constitution.
Political analysts note that this must also be read in conjunction with feelers put out by UNP’s General Secretary Range Bandara that Wickremesinghe should be given more time at the helm and the country was not ready to hold a presidential election later this year.
Here is Article 83:
(83). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the provisions of Article 82 –
(a) A Bill for the amendment or for the repeal and replacement of or which is inconsistent with any of the provisions of Articles 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 or of this Article; and
(b) A Bill for the amendment or for the repeal and replacement of or which is inconsistent with the provisions of paragraph (2) of Article 30 or of paragraph (2) of Article 62 which would extend the term of office of the President, or the duration of Parliament, as the case may be, to over six years, shall become law if the number of votes cast in favour thereof amounts to not less than two-thirds of the whole number of Members (including those not present), is approved by the People at a Referendum, and a certificate is endorsed thereon by the President in accordance with Article 80.
This is Article 30 in full:
30. (1) There shall be a President of the Republic of Sri Lanka, who is the Head of the State, the Head of the Executive and of the Government, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. (2) The President of the Republic shall be elected by the People and shall hold office for a term of five years.
This is Article 62 in full:
62. (1) There shall be a Parliament which shall consist of two hundred and twenty-five Members elected in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.
(2) Unless Parliament is sooner dissolved, every Parliament shall continue for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer, and the expiry of the said period of five years shall operate as a dissolution of Parliament.
The Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill for the year 2026 (Budget Speech) is scheduled to be presented to Parliament tomorrow (07) at 1.30 p.m. by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance.
Subsequently, the debate on the Appropriation Bill (Budget Debate) is scheduled to be held from November 8 to December 5, 2025.
The Appropriation Bill for 2026, which was presented to Parliament for the First Reading on September 26, 2025, will have its Second Reading Debate for 6 days from November 8 to 14. Accordingly, the vote on the Second Reading will be held on November 14 at 6.00 p.m.
The Committee Stage Debate on the Appropriation Bill for the year 2026 will take place for 17 days, from November 15 to December 5, including 3 Saturdays. The Third Reading Vote on the Appropriation Bill will then be held on December 5 at 6.00 p.m.
During the Budget Period the Budget Debate will be held every day, including Saturdays, except for public holidays and Sundays. Also, during the Committee Stage Debate Period, Parliament is scheduled to meet at 9.30 a.m. on Mondays and at 9.00 a.m. on all other days.
Accordingly, during this period, in addition to the business under Standing Orders 22(1) to (6), time has been allocated for 5 Questions for Oral Answers and 1 Question under Standing Orders 27(2). Also, during this period, the Budget Debate is scheduled to be held until 6.00 p.m. and on all days except voting days, from 6.00 to 6.30 p.m., time will be allotted for Motions at the Adjournment Time based on a 50:50 allocation between the Government and the Opposition.
The Landslide Early Warning Center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued landslide early warnings to the districts of Kandy, Kegalle and Ratnapura valid from 12:30 hrs on 06.11.2025 to 12:30 hrs on 07.11.2025
Accordingly,
Level II warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Division and surrounding areas of Yatiyanthota in the Kegalle district and Ratnapura, Elapatha and Kuruwita in the Ratnapura district.
Level I warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Division and surrounding areas of Ganga Ihala Korale in the Kandy district, Warakapola and Kegalle in the Kegalle district and Kiriella, Kahawaththa, Ayagama, Kalawana, Eheliyagoda, Nivithigala and Pelmadulla in the Ratnapura district.
The Main Opposition party, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), has accused the NPP government of creating a cartel of food importers at the expense of local farmers.
Alleging that the politically connected, large-scale importers had access to inside information, such as imposition of duties/levies, SJB Matale District MP Rohini Kaviratne said the government had given them free rein.
Addressing a gathering, in Matale, recently, MP Kaviratne claimed that the government had changed the import polices related to food items for the benefit of a few importers. The Opposition MP alleged that the new importers were not those who are based in Pettah, or Dambulla; they were a group of deal makers whose only intension was to make money.
The MP cited the Finance Ministry’s failure to impose a Special Commodity Levy (SCL) on imported big onions on time to the alleged unholy alliance between the government and big businesses. Lawmaker Kaviratne pointed out that during the first eight months of last year, Sri Lanka imported only 73, 332 mt of big onions whereas during the same period this year big onion imports had risen to 144,551 mt.
Referring to sugar imports, the SJBer pointed out Sri Lanka brought in 223,144 mt during first six months in 2024 while this year during the same period, sugar imports rose to 343,416 mt.
Recalling the sugar tax scam alleged to have been perpetrated by the SLPP government, MP Kaviratne said that the NPP was going ahead with sordid operations while accusing all other political parties of corruption. (SF)
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