20th Amendment to the Constitution Two-day debate on Oct. 21,22

• Sittings would be conducted till 7.30 pm each day without  one-hour lunch break

By Kelum Bandara

A two-day debate will be conducted on the 20th Amendment to the Constitution on October 21 and 22 before it is put to vote, a government official said yesterday.    

Chief Government Whip, Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardane told Daily Mirror, the Business Committee of Parliament decided on it at its meeting, yesterday. The meeting which is commonly called the party leaders’ meeting concluded that sittings would be conducted till 7.30 pm each day without the one-hour lunch break, to avail more time for the MPs to speak on their positions.  “We will put it to vote at 7.30 pm on October 22. Also, we are planning to incorporate certain amendments to the original draft during the committee stage,” he said.  

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana will announce the Supreme Court’s determination on the bill on October 20.