Strengthening the Presidency; Weakening the Democracy: A Brief Analysis of the Twentieth Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka

Abstract

On 22 October 2020, the Twentieth Amendment (20A) to the Constitution of Sri Lanka was enacted. The 20A reversed much of the reforms introduced by the preceding Nineteenth Amendment (19A) to the Constitution, with the primary effect of the 20A being the consolidation of power in the office of the executive president.

This article explores the 20A and is divided into two main sections. Firstly, it will briefly set out the background to the passage of the 20A. Second, the features of the 20A will be discussed in respect of their implications on governance and the constitution.