Determination on the 20th amendment

Colombo (News1st): Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ananda Kumarasiri announced the Supreme Court's determination on the 20th Amendment to the Constitution which says several clauses in the 20th Amendment need to be approved with a  2/3 majority and a public referendum. The statement by the Deputy Speaker added that a 2/3rd majority will be sufficient to pass six clauses of the 20th Amendment. Here's what's mentioned in those clauses. *) When a no-confidence motion against a Minister, State Minister or Deputy Minister is passed, the respective individual will be considered to have stepped down. *) When the government's appropriation bill is rejected in Parliament, it will be considered as the Prime Minister has stepped down. *) The clause that provides the 'power to the President to remove the Prime Minister' has been removed. *) The defeat of an appropriation bill will only be accepted, if appropriation bills are not passed thrice within the first two years, from the commencement of the first cabinet meeting. *)A draft approved by a referendum, if not signed and enforced by the president, will be considered as approved by the president after a period of 14 days. *) If a draft needs to be approved through a referendum, if it has received a 2/3 majority, if the president has failed to produce the said bill for a public referendum in 28 days after receiving 2/3rds, then the elections commission must act as if the president has produced this for a public referendum. *) When a no-confidence motion is brought against a minister, state minister or deputy minister, he or she must resign from their respective position. *)When a political party or independent group takes disciplinary action against a member of parliament, any court will not be granted powers to examine and provide a determination on the matter *) Further, there should be no powers to grant concessions through interim orders. The clause which says matters with the public interest, that require the determination of the Supreme court, should be done in private and the determination should be provided to the president, has been removed. The 20th amendment was presented to the parliament by JVP MP Vijitha Herath, as a private MPs motion. Speaking about the deputy speaker's comment the leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake said a public referendum, will only be submitted if approval from 2/3 majority is received. MP Dissanayake added that subject to the approval from the 2/3 majority, it will be produced to a public referendum and if anyone disapproves this, it means that they are afraid of taking this to the public.