Sri Lanka set for constitution vote
September 8, 2010
Sri Lanka’s parliament is set to vote for constitutional changes enabling Mahinda Rajapaksa, the country’s president, to seek a third term in office. Under the proposed amendments, to be put to the vote on Wednesday, the two-term limit will be abolished, allowing the Rajapakse, 64, who was re-elected in January, to stand at the next polls, scheduled for 2016. A draft bill was cleared on Tuesday by the supreme court, which informed parliament that the constitution could be changed by a two-thirds majority vote – something Rajapaksa looks almost certain to secure. The amendment, if approved, will also hand him greater control over nominally independent…
