Cabinet to approve reforms

10 May 2010 08:04 am Views - 4546

Cabinet is set to approve proposed constitutional and electoral reforms within the next fortnight and present them in Parliament in July with the aim to pass them before President Mahinda Rajapaksa takes oaths for his second term on November 17, a senior Minister said today.

General Secretary of the SLFP, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena addressing the media at the Mahaweli Center said reforms include the introduction of an electoral process that carries a combination of first past the pose system and the PR system with members from the Pradeshiya Sabha level to Parliament level taking the responsibility (or answerable) to their wards and constituencies as the case may be, a second chamber to review Parliamentary Bills, strengthening of the 17th Amendment to give more power to independent commissions and remove the restriction on the Executive President to seek a third mandate or beyond. (SAJ)