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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told Tamil and Muslim party leaders he wants to abolish the executive presidency through constitutional reform. He said the changes must emerge from broad national consensus, not a rushed amendment.
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Colombo,UPDATED: Aug 3, 2026 20:42 IST
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Monday reaffirmed his government’s position to abolish the executive presidential system through constitutional reforms. He said the immediate priority was not a hurried amendment, but building a national consensus through a broad and inclusive dialogue.
The issue is a central part of the People’s Power alliance’s position, with Dissanayake backing decentralisation of power and a stronger parliamentary system. There is widespread belief in Sri Lanka that ending the current executive presidency would restore Parliament’s supremacy and allow a more balanced distribution of power among the legislature, executive and judiciary.
According to a statement issued by the President’s Office, Dissanayake “reaffirmed that it is the Government’s position that the Constitution should be reformed and that the Executive Presidency should be abolished”. It said: “However, he stressed that, rather than pursuing a hastily drafted constitutional amendment, the priority at this stage is to build a new national consensus. The President emphasised the importance of initiating a broad and inclusive national dialogue to achieve that objective.”
He made the remarks during a meeting on Monday morning at the Presidential Secretariat with representatives of an alliance of six Tamil and Muslim political parties.
The alliance raised several issues with the President, including the introduction of a comprehensive new constitution, the holding of provincial council elections, concerns related to the Northern and Eastern Provinces, and the problems of Tamils of Indian origin.
On the delay in holding the provincial council elections, Dissanayake said a parliamentary selection committee had been appointed to examine matters linked to the conduct of the polls. He said he expected to engage with the committee to discuss the issues that had arisen.
The meeting reflected both the government’s stated commitment to constitutional reform and the concerns raised by Tamil and Muslim parties on elections, regional issues and the need for a new constitutional framework.
With PTI Inputs
- Ends
Published By:
India Today Web Desk
Published On:
Aug 3, 2026 20:42 IST
