Parliamentary elections being held in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is holding the parliamentary elections on August 05 to fill the parliamentary seats in the country. It is significant because it is going to determine the political, economic and social future of this island nation. The parliament of the country was dissolved on March 2.
Why is Election being held now?
After the dissolution of the old parliament, it is required as the Sri Lankan constitution that a new parliament has to be sworn-in within three months of that event. By that logic, the new parliament should have been elected by June 2 but the election had to be postponed twice due to the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic.
Possible Consequences of the Election
The ruling Sri Lankan Podujana Party is expected to win the elections and it is going to make this country closer to China as compared to India. The President will also get the majority required to repeal the 19th amendment to the constitution of the country that limits the powers of the President of the country pertaining to parliament and the judiciary.
What is the 19th Constitutional Amendment?
This was passed in 2015 and it prevents the President from dissolving the parliament before the completion of four and a half years of its term. Only a two-thirds majority vote in the parliament will allow the President to dissolve it before the completion of its term. It also created a dual executive in which the position of the PM was made secure from various arbitrary actions of the President. Hence, the office of the PM falls vacant only for death, voluntary resignation, loss of support in the parliament, rejection by the parliament of the budget presented by the government, ceasing to be an MP, etc.
Category: International Current Affairs
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