With two more amendments on cards to the existing constitution, Standing Orders of Parliament are to referred to the Attorney General for study and opinion after the issue is to be discussed at cabinet level shortly to make them law, through a separate Chapter in the constitution, with the full component as an annexure to the constitution, authoritative sources disclosed to The Nation website today.
Sources said the 19th amendment on cards will solely deal with making Standing Orders of Parliament law, and the cabinet would discuss the issue of revising them to suit the present times as Parliament was yet practicing the Standing Orders of the Republican Constitution of 1972.
The 1978 Executive Presidential style of governance Constitution in Article 74 (2) states;-‘Until Parliament otherwise provides by law or by resolution, the Standing Order of the National State Assembly, operative immediately prior to the commencement of the Constitution, shall, mutatis mutandis, be the Standing Orders of Parliament.
Sources said the 20th Amendment to the Constitution would focus on revising the 13th Amendment with attention to demarcation of boundaries in the now de-merged North East Provinces and devolution of power. The North and East temporarily merged under the Gandhi-Jayewardene agreement was de-merged on an order by the Supreme Court. ‘Certain provisions envisaged in the 13th amendment 25 years ago under the Gandhi - Jayewardene agreement need to be amended to suit present times’, they added.
When Cabinet met last Thursday these issues were discussed under the subject ‘Any other business’ on the agenda but nothing conclusive had been reached as it had been decided that all sections in Parliament should be consulted on those issues. However, all ministers have been in agreement to make Standing Orders of Parliament law by constitution to avoid future tussles between the Legislature and the Judiciary.
http://www.nation.lk/edition/latest-top-stories/item/14907-standing-orders-to-be-referred-to-ag-for-study.html