Supreme Court Clears Path for 22nd Amendment Without Public Referendum, Speaker Announces

Speaker of Parliament Jagath Wickramaratne today announced the Supreme Court's determination regarding the proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, confirming that the landmark legislation will not require a national referendum to be passed into law.

According to the Supreme Court's ruling, a two-thirds majority in Parliament will be sufficient to enact the constitutional amendment, sparing the country from the logistical and financial demands of a public referendum.

What This Means for the Amendment

The Supreme Court's determination is a significant procedural development, as it signals that the amendment does not touch provisions of the Constitution that are entrenched to the extent of requiring the direct approval of the Sri Lankan public through a referendum.

Under Sri Lanka's constitutional framework, certain amendments that affect fundamental provisions — such as those relating to sovereignty, the electoral system, or the unitary status of the state — require both a two-thirds parliamentary majority and approval by the people at a referendum. The court's finding confirms the 22nd Amendment does not fall into that category.

Parliamentary Majority Now the Key Hurdle

With the referendum requirement set aside, the focus now shifts entirely to Parliament, where the government must secure the support of at least two-thirds of all members in order to pass the amendment successfully.

• A two-thirds majority requires 150 votes in the 225-member Parliament.
• The ruling coalition will need to seek support beyond its own ranks to meet that threshold.
• Cross-party negotiations are expected to intensify in the lead-up to the parliamentary vote.

The 22nd Amendment has been positioned by its proponents as a reform measure aimed at strengthening democratic governance and accountability within Sri Lanka's constitutional order.

Speaker Makes Formal Announcement

Speaker Wickramaratne made the formal announcement to Parliament today, as is customary following the receipt of the Supreme Court's determination on any Bill referred for constitutional scrutiny. The determination now paves the way for the amendment to be debated and voted upon in the legislature.

Political observers are watching closely to see whether the government can rally the numbers needed for the supermajority vote, which will ultimately decide the fate of the proposed constitutional changes.

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