19A only half way measure to abolish executive presidency

A key amendment adopted by Sri Lankan parliament last week is only a halfway measure towards abolishing executive presidency as only 60 to 65 per cent of powers of the top post have been reduced, according to an architect of the legislation.
"The government itself has gone public saying that it could not go the full distance," Jayampathi Wickramaratna, a constitutional lawyer who was involved in drafting the 19A, said.
The 19th amendment (19A) received 215 votes in favour with just one vote against it in the 225-member assembly.
"If you are talking of percentages the powers of the presidency have been reduced by about 60 to 65 per cent," Wickramaratna said.

"This was only an important first step."
Introduction of the 19A was a major election pledge of president Maithripala Sirisena during his election campaign. He defeated Mahinda Rajapaksa on a broader programme of democratic reform.

The bill removed the president's power to dissolve parliament, until it has completed four and a half years of its five-year term.
Wickramaratna said the setting up of 11 commissions to depoliticise important areas of governance was a key feature of the 19A.
Since the adoption of the 1978 constitution there has been a big public outcry to abolish the system.