Sri Lankan Cabinet approves abolition of 19th Amendment

<p>Today, Sri Lanka's Cabinet granted approval in their first meeting to abolish the 19th Amendment and to draft the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, News Wire <a href="http://www.newswire.lk/2020/08/19/cabinet-decides-to-abolish-the-19th-a…">reported</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p>Last week,&nbsp;Justice Minister Ali Sabry has reported that moves are underway to abolish the 19th Amendment of Sri Lanka’s constitution, which limits the power of the Presidency, and to bring in the 20th Amendment which will be debated in parliament by mid-September.</p> <p>Throughout their election campaigning, The Rajapaksa camp repeatedly spoke on scrapping the 19th Amendment.&nbsp;</p> <p>“We are taking steps to abolish any clauses in the 19th Amendment that are detrimental to the country and amend them accordingly,” Sabry reported. According to the new draft proposal for the 20th Amendment, the President's term in office will remain as five years and a candidate will be allowed to contest the Presidential election twice.</p> <p><a href="https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/19th-amendment-be-replaced-20th-a…"><u><strong>Read more here: 19th Amendment to be replaced by 20th Amendment.</strong></u></a>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>