Therefore, views that completely doing away with the executive presidency will destabilize the country and threaten national security is not valid any longer, said JHU’s Patali Champika Ranawaka in Colombo.

He said his party supports the amendments that limit powers of the executive and appoint independent commissions.

Mr. Ranawaka went onto say that nowhere it was said the executive presidency would be abolished, and that the programme agreed to by all parties supporting the president only say its authoritarian powers would be curtailed.

He said he opposed the amendment tabled to the cabinet by prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe four days ago due to two matters, which have now been dropped.

We opposed the clause which said the head of the state is the president, but the head of the government is the prime minister, he said.

Also, the clause that says the president should exercise the executive powers on the advice of the prime minister has been omitted, he added, according to BBC Sandeshaya.