30 Petitions Filed Against and in Support of 22nd Amendment

COLOMBO (News 1st): The deadline for filing petitions challenging or supporting the proposed 22nd Constitutional Amendment expires today, with a total of 30 petitions submitted to the Supreme Court.

Three petitions have been filed in support of the amendment, while 27 petitions have been submitted opposing the proposed constitutional changes.

The 22nd Constitutional Amendment was published in the Gazette and subsequently presented to Parliament approximately two weeks ago, initiating the constitutional process required for judicial review before parliamentary consideration.

Following the conclusion of the petition-filing period, the Chief Justice is expected to appoint a Supreme Court bench to examine whether the proposed amendment has been introduced in accordance with the Constitution and to determine the manner in which it should be passed in Parliament.

Under Sri Lanka's constitutional framework, when a constitutional amendment is challenged before the Supreme Court through one or more petitions, the Court is granted a period of three weeks to hear and determine the constitutional validity of the proposed legislation.

The Supreme Court will examine the petitions filed both for and against the amendment before considering whether any of its provisions are inconsistent with the Constitution and whether additional approval mechanisms may be required for its enactment.

Once the review process is completed, the Supreme Court's determination on the amendment will be communicated to the Speaker of Parliament.