Update 1: Prime Minister Begins Winding-up 19th Amendment Debate

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has begun to wind-up the debate on the 19th Amendment to the Constitution a short while ago, following the compromise reached on the Constitutional Council.

This will end the debate on the second Reading of the 19th Amendment which President Maithripala opened Tuesday morning.

"It is almost certain that the amendment will pass with a two thirds majority having comprised somewhat on the composition of the Constitutional Council," Deputy Minister Dr. Harsha de Silva said on his Facebook page as the Prime Minister began his speech.

After the vote on the Second Reading, "Parliament will turn in to a Committee and the committee stage amendments will be taken up. Then finally the third reading will be taken up for vote; need only a simple majority then," Harsha de Silva said further.

He added that "If all goes well our government would have then, by and large, delivered on our 100 day promise."