by Prasad Gunewardene
The debate on the controversial 19th Amendment to the constitution may be delayed for some time in Parliament as the People’s Alliance opposition is to go to court next week challenging the amendment.

The Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) has already filed an application in the Supreme Court on Thursday challenging the amendment.

The amendment seeks to reduce the powers of the President to dissolve Parliament after one year and revert that power to the Prime Minister and Parliament.

The Supreme Court is to give its ruling on the LSSP application within three weeks. If the PA files another application it would further delay the process of the debate in the house till the Supreme Court delivers its ruling.

The government claims it is confident of mustering two thirds votes in the House required to pass the amendment.

Contrary to this claim, the opposition says that it would be difficult for the government to get the two thirds though it boasted all the time of having 21 PA MPs in its pocket.

However, a very senior PA leader said he had information that only seven PA MPs including Richard Pathirana would back the amendment.

He said they included two couples of husband and wife, two former Ministers and another from the Eastern Province.

The government at the last moment included a clause to the 19th Amendment before it was gazetted to prevent expulsion of MPs who support the amendment from Parliament.

The amendment was presented to Parliament on Thursday at an auspicious time by the leader of the house, W. J. M. Lokubandara.