The special parliamentary session to appoint the civil society members to the Constitutional Council will be held this morning.

However, the session could turn into a stormy affair, as some opposition members are raising concern on the manner in which the civil society members have been named.

Speaking to a local newspaper, UPFA MP Dinesh Gunawardena said that the civil society members should have been nominated with the approval of political parties. However no such approval was sought and therefore, the opposition parties will oppose it, he said.

Meanwhile, a section of the opposition is raising another argument, saying that there was no need for the appointment of the Constitutional Council at the moment since a general election is expected in the near future. The new parliament should have an opportunity to appoint another CC, this argument says.

The parliament has to approve three members to the Constitutional Council, which will complete the membership of the 10 member council. Former UN Under-Secretary Radhika Coomaraswamy, Sarvodaya founder Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne and former Appeal Court Judge A.W.A. Salam have been nominated to the council.

The Prime Minister, Opposition Leader and the Speaker are all members of the council. Meanwhile, four other members have been nominated among parliamentarians.