Following its piecemeal move to enact the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, the ruling National People’s Power (NPP) government is set to initiate formal internal discussions next year regarding a comprehensive new Constitution. The initiative fulfills a central election promise detailed in the party’s manifesto, A Thriving Nation, A Beautiful Life, which pledged to repeal the existing Constitution and replace it with a system that abolishes executive presidency.
The government’s immediate focus on the 22nd Amendment—which raises the retirement age of superior court judges—drew sharp criticism from several quarters, including opposition parties and the Mahanayake Theras. Despite opposition resistance, Parliament in Colombo is scheduled to vote on the bill this evening, where the government is widely anticipated to secure passage using its two-thirds majority.
Addressing the timeline for broader constitutional reform, NPP Secretary Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe stated that serious party deliberations will commence next year, prioritizing key unresolved issues such as the future of the Provincial Council system. Dr. Abeysinghe noted that the party aims to conclude the process as swiftly as possible, beginning with internal consensus-building and evaluating previous constitution-making proposals to see if they align with the NPP’s framework.
Key Developments
- 22nd Amendment Vote: Parliament votes this evening on raising the retirement age for superior court judges, with the government expected to clear the bill using its two-thirds majority despite pushback from opposition parties and the Mahanayake Theras.
- Executive Presidency Abolition: The JVP, the principal constituent of the NPP, has advocated for decades to dismantle the executive presidential system, a commitment reinforced in the ruling coalition’s manifesto, A Thriving Nation, A Beautiful Life.
- Framework Deliberations: NPP Secretary Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe confirmed that formal talks will begin next year to establish a new Constitution and decide the structure of the Provincial Council system.
- Review of Past Proposals: Officials will study historic constitutional reform proposals to evaluate whether previous concepts can be incorporated into the NPP’s vision.
Dr. Abeysinghe emphasized that internal party discussions must take place first before moving forward, identifying the drafting of the new Constitution and the resolution of the Provincial Council system as the two major constitutional matters yet to be touched upon by the administration.