Power devolution based on PCs vital – Devananda

The Experts Committee of the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) has reiterated that power devolution in the new Constitution must take place based on Provincial Councils (PCs).

The Experts Committee, led by EPDP General Secretary and Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda, submitted proposals in connection with power devolution to President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva, President of the Committee appointed to draft a new Constitution.

Suggestions in the proposal state that the provincial council system, which is based on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, must be fully implemented and suggestions which further strengthen the existing provincial council system must also be included in the new Constitution.

The EPDP alleged that opportunities to devolve power to Provincial Councils according to the Indo-Sri Lanka accord were ignored by Governments, which came to power in the past.

The EPDP stated that it has continuously pointed out that by fully implementing the provincial council system; solutions could be found to issues of the Tamil community as well as ethnic issues and stressed that proposals submitted by the experts committee must be included in the new Constitution. 

(NJ)