The Expert Committee led by President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva, appointed to prepare a draft of the new Constitution is expected to present its initial report this month.
Justice Minister Ali Sabry in a recent interview with the Sunday Observer said the committee had been meeting party leaders and religious leaders regularly and their interim report is expected in March.Co-Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Udaya Gammanpila told the Sunday Observer yesterday that the expert committee concluded collecting submissions by almost all the party leaders represented in Parliament including the ITAK by the end of last month.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed a committee comprising nine experts, including several President’s Counsel under the leadership of Romesh de Silva, PC, to draft a new Constitution, in October last year.
The committee is required to come up with a final report within a year.
Announcing the appointment of the expert committee, the Justice Minister told Parliament that the new Constitution will, “Embrace diversity among the people, give Buddhism its due place, respect each other’s religious beliefs and cultural values and create a long-lasting Constitution which is inclusive, forward looking and serve as a catalyst for national unity, amity, progress and accelerate economic growth.”
When the report is out, it will be presented to the Cabinet for approval and later referred to the Legal Draftsman.
“This draft of a new Constitution will then be tabled in Parliament for action by the House which is a tedious process,” Minister Gammanpila added.