The 19th Amendment to the Constitution is to be presented to parliament when it convenes on Tuesday (24).

National Executive Council came to a decision to present the draft bill to parliament on March 24, when it met on March 17.

The Gazette Notification on the 19th Amendment was published at midnight on March 16, after it received Cabinet approval on the day before. However, some discrepancy was reported between the version approved by the Cabinet and the version published.

Jathika Hela Urumaya pointed out the discrepancy and said it will oppose the version in the Gazette Notification. Former State Minister Professor Rajiva Wijesinha decided to sit on the opposition side of the parliament, partly due to the same reason.

However, it is reported that the version published in the Gazette Notification had been amended before presenting it to the parliament. A meeting was reportedly held recently between President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and former president Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga on the 19th Amendment.