Justice Minister advocates for an Upper House in Parliament

Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe PC said that a proposal has been submitted regarding the establishment of a Senate as the Upper House of Parliament by bringing an amendment to the Constitution and making a change in the electoral system.

He said that it cannot be done at the next election and that it should be implemented after discussing with civil society for about two years. The Minister was speaking to the media in Kandy after calling on the Mahanayaka Theras of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters.

The Minister went on to say that most of the laws that are still in force in Sri Lanka were passed during British rule and the relevant laws should have been updated a long time ago.

He also emphasized that however 42 Ordinances relating to the rule of law and the functions of the administration of justice were passed in a short period of one-and-a-half years during his tenure as Minister in charge of the subject.

The Minister observed that the 21st Constitutional Amendment, the Anti-Corruption Act, the Election Expenses Regulation Act, the Notary Ordinance, the Last Will Ordinance and the Power of Attorney Act were among them.

While noting that most of the cases piled up in the Courts are related to fraudulently prepared deeds and forged documents, he said that with the new laws there will be no room for such fraud in the future.

The Minister also said that around 60 to 70 more of such serious legal amendments are to be made in the near future.

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