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DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS

  • 30 March, 2021

  • 5 Min Read

20th Amendment of Sri Lankan Parliament

20th Amendment of Sri Lankan Parliament

Key points

  • It envisages expansive powers and greater immunity for the Executive President.
  • The Amendment rolls back Sri Lanka’s 19th Amendment, a 2015 legislation that sought to clip presidential powers while strengthening Parliament.
  • The new legislation in turn reduces the Prime Minister’s role to a ceremonial one.

19th Amendment Act

  • The reduction in the terms of the President and Parliament from six years to five years.
  • Re-introduction of a two-term limit that a person can have as President.
  • The power of the President to dissolve Parliament only after four and a half years.
  • The revival of the Constitutional Council and the establishment of independent commissions.
  • The President remains the head of the Cabinet and he can appoint Ministers on the advice of Prime Minister

18th Amendment Act

  • It mainly sought to weaken the power of the presidency which the 18th amendment had greatly expanded.
  • The 18th amendment allowed four basic changes:
    • The President can seek re-election any number of times;
    • The ten-member Constitutional Council has been replaced with a five-member Parliamentary Council;
    • Independent commissions are brought under the authority of the President; and,
    • It enables the President to attend Parliament once in three months and entitles him to all the privileges, immunities, and powers of a Member of Parliament other than the entitlement to vote.

Source: TH


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05 Apr,2026

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