The Bar Association of Sri Lanka has strongly urged the Government not to move the 18th Amendment to the Constitution without a fuller public discussion and debate on such an important matter.
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka said in a statement they are perturbed by the move of the Government to introduce the 18th Amendment to the constitution as an “urgent bill”.
Full statement as follows:
Statement issued by the President, Bar Association of Sri Lanka
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka is perturbed by the move of the Government to introduce the 18th Amendment to the constitution as an “urgent bill”.
As early as June this year, the bar Council resolved that constitutional Amendments should not be presented as “Urgent Bills” and urged the3 Government to desist from proposing Constitutional Amendments in the form of “Urgent Bills”.
This position of the Bar Association was communicated to the Government and given wide publicity as well. We regret to note that despite this, the Government is planning to proceed with the proposed 18th Amendment to the Constitution as an “Urgent Bill” to be debated and voted on 08.09.2010.
As the professional body representing all lawyers of this country, we strongly urge the Government not to move this proposed Bill without a fuller public discussion and debate on such an important matter.