Colombo: The Sri Lankan Cabinet has approved a move to amend the Constitution giving clarity to the terms of both the President and Parliament, limiting them to just five years, the government announced on Wednesday.
The controversy over the presidential term arose as the Independent Electoral Commission was preparing to announce the voting date for the next presidential election.
As per the 19th Amendment since 2015, the terms for both posts are already five years. However, the problem was with Article 83, which stated that the term could be extended from five to six with a referendum.
One petitioner asked the Supreme Court to define whether the terms were five or six years.
Earlier this week, the Supreme Court rejected a petition seeking a verdict on the apparent ambiguity between sections 30(2) and 83 of the Constitution, which means it would be applicable only for five years.
The amendment now being moved seeks to resolve the issue arising from Article 83(B) which reads, "...the term of office of the President or the term of Parliament, as the case may be" shall be extended to five years from the present Extend to more than a year. Six.
Election Commission chief RMAL Ratnayake, who made preliminary arrangements with the police and government printer, said on Tuesday that the date of the presidential election could be announced by the end of this month.
The commission had earlier announced that the elections would be held between September 16 and October 17.
The controversy over the presidential term arose as the Independent Electoral Commission was preparing to announce the voting date for the next presidential election.
As per the 19th Amendment since 2015, the terms for both posts are already five years. However, the problem was with Article 83, which stated that the term could be extended from five to six with a referendum.
One petitioner asked the Supreme Court to define whether the terms were five or six years.
Earlier this week, the Supreme Court rejected a petition seeking a verdict on the apparent ambiguity between sections 30(2) and 83 of the Constitution, which means it would be applicable only for five years.
The amendment now being moved seeks to resolve the issue arising from Article 83(B) which reads, "...the term of office of the President or the term of Parliament, as the case may be" shall be extended to five years from the present Extend to more than a year. Six.
Election Commission chief RMAL Ratnayake, who made preliminary arrangements with the police and government printer, said on Tuesday that the date of the presidential election could be announced by the end of this month.
The commission had earlier announced that the elections would be held between September 16 and October 17.
