The Sri Lankan Cabinet approved a shift to amend the Constitution that would establish clear conditions for both the leader and the congress, and it would be limited to five years only, the authorities announced on Wednesday. The impartial election commission was preparing to reveal the polling day for the upcoming presidential election, prompting the conflict over the government’s term.
According to the 19th Amendment, the conditions for both positions have already been for five decades. But, the problem was over Article 83, which said the word may be extended to six from five with a vote.
A applicant contacted the Supreme Court to inquire about whether the term would be five or six years.
Earlier this week, the Supreme Court rejected the petition which sought a ruling on the seeming ambiguity between 30 ( 2 ) and 83 in the Constitution, which means, it will be five years only.
The amendment to be introduced now aims to address the problem raised by Article 83( b ), which states that”… extend the term of office of the president or the term of parliament as the case may be” to more than five years from the present six.
The election commission captain, RMAL Ratnayake, said on Tuesday that the day for the national elections could be announced by the end of the month after making tentative arrangements with the police and the government printing.
The Commission had recently announced that the vote would take place between September 16 and October 17.
