• Oppose any amendments which prevent early dissolution of the House
• Prefer reintroduction of 19th Amendment 
• All parties should come to a consensus on the legislation 

By Yohan Perera 

 Samagi Jana Balawegaya has offered conditional support  for the 22nd Amendment to the constitution which is to be debated in Parliament this week.

SJB National Organizer and Member of Parliament Tissa Attanayake told a media briefing that his party would offer conditional support for the 22nd Amendment to the constitution which is to be taken up for debate in Parliament this week.  

“We have decided to offer conditional support as there are some positive aspects in the legislation,” he said. 
“However we would prefer a reintroduction of 19th Amendment to the constitution which enabled the setting up of independent constitutional councils and independent commissions,” he said. 

“We don’t want the government to bring in hurried amendments and would oppose any move to bring in amendments which  prevents the President from dissolving Parliament. At the same time we would prefer to have a discussion on the legislation and make it  acceptable to all parties,” he  added.  Also he said the President should be allowed to dissolve Parliament as soon as  the constitution allows it. “We have heard that there is a move to bring in an amendment under which dissolution of the House is allowed only after four and a half years of its term is completed. We oppose this move,” Mr. Attanayake said.