Five-member panel to draft constitutional amendment

COLOMBO (News1st): A five-member panel will be appointed to draft the 20th constitutional amendment, the government said on Wednesday. "It is an open mandate for the ministry of justice to decide who should be there," co-cabinet spokesman Udaya Gammanpila told reporters. He added that the justice minister has been vested with the power to appoint the expert committee. "...the positive features of the 19th amendment will be retained," Gammanpila said responding to queries raised by journalists. He said that after the draft amendment is prepared the cabinet would decide on the provisions in the 19th amendment that need to be removed. Meanwhile, cabinet spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella, said that the government is likely to put forward a budget in November. "That will be the budget for 2021," he noted. Sri Lanka will run without a budget for 2020.