A sharp standoff between Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has stalled key Constitutional Council appointments, raising fresh questions about governance and institutional stability.
Ongoing discussions between the government and the opposition over appointing three new civil society representatives to Sri Lanka’s Constitutional Council have ended without agreement this week, according to the Sunday Times. The talks collapsed amid a growing clash between Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa over the proposed nominees.
The deadlock follows the expiry of the terms of Dr. Anula Wijesundara, Dr. Prathap Ramanujan, and Dr. Dinesha Samararatne, who served as civil representatives on the Constitutional Council until last Friday. Under constitutional provisions, replacements to these positions must be appointed through mutual consent between the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.
At the latest round of discussions held at the Parliamentary complex, both sides submitted separate lists of nominees. The Prime Minister proposed seven names, while the Opposition Leader submitted a list of ten candidates. The names included a former Vice Chancellor, a former university lecturer, and several professionals drawn from civil society.
Sources indicate that the government is willing to accept two nominees from the opposition’s list, provided the opposition agrees to one name proposed by the Prime Minister. However, this compromise has stalled after the Prime Minister proposed the name of a former District Secretary, a move strongly opposed by the Opposition Leader.
Sajith Premadasa argued that the individual in question served on a committee appointed by the current government in October 2024, raising concerns over impartiality if appointed to the Constitutional Council. He has also rejected the Prime Minister’s suggestion to involve Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne in the negotiations, stressing that the Constitution limits the agreement strictly to discussions between the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader.
While existing civil representatives may legally continue until replacements are appointed, the unresolved dispute has further complicated the appointment process, leaving the Constitutional Council in continued uncertainty.
