Jathika Hela Urumaya General Secretary Patali Champika Ranawaka stated that the government’s ‘Constitutiona Coup’ has been defeated.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Ranawaka said that the ‘coup’ which was launched with the aim of converting the Prime Minister to the Chief Executive of the country, was defeated by the Supreme Court determination of the 19th Amendment.

He also said that the government was forced to remove the contentious provisions in the 19th Amendment due to the decisions by the Supreme Court.

JHU had protested against several the provisions in the 19th Amendment and especially the discrepancy in the matter regarding the Head of the Government. The 19th Amendment Bill had said that the Cabinet will be led by the Prime Minister while the Head of the Government is the President. JHU argued that the Prime Minister was creating a constitutional crisis by effectively appointing two people to the same position.