JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva told a news conference that the 19th Amendment however, fulfilled the people's aspirations to a certain extent.

He explained that the JVP wanted the abolition of the executive presidency, but the 19th Amendment only curbs the powers of the executive president.

"Enacting the 19th Amendment is essential as something is better than nothing," Silva said.

According to the JVP, while the pledge by the present government was to abolish the Executive Presidency fully, there was no harm in slashing some powers of the executive presidency.