International

Sri Lanka to bring in amendment for `conscience voting'

By Nirupama Subramanian

COLOMBO APRIL 4. In possible preparation for political contingencies arising out of the ongoing peace process, the Sri Lankan Government is planning to introduce a Constitutional amendment that will enable "conscience voting" by parliamentarians on national issues.

The Cabinet spokesman and Minister for Constitutional Affairs, G.L. Peiris, today said that the amendment, to be introduced in Parliament at the end of May, would enable maximum participation by all parties and help evolve a consensus on finding a solution to national problems. ``If a member is expelled as a result of voting as per his conscience, the member will not forefeit his or her seat,'' he said. The right to speak, vote and act according to conscience will apply to all members, he added. At present, MPs can lose their party membership and seat in the House if they vote against the whip. The proposed amendment assumes importance in the light of the ongoing peace process and moves by a section of the People's Alliance MPs to join hands with the ruling United National Front in a "national government''. Mr. Peiris said the conscience vote would apply only to issues related to a solution to the ethnic conflict. ``On an issue as important as the ethnic conflict, there should be no artificial fetters to the freedom of parliamentarians.'' Enshrining a solution to the conflict in the Constitution would need a two-thirds majority in Parliament, which the UNF does not have. The ruling party has a slender majority of 114 members in the 225-seat Parliament, while the Opposition People's Alliance has 77, the JVP 16, plus 18 Tamil MPs.

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