By Ceylon Signal 
President Anura Kumara has invited the President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) and its representatives for a decisive meeting on Wednesday (12) at 1 p.m., as the future of the proposed 22nd Constitutional Amendment grows increasingly uncertain. Senior political sources indicate that the amendment may be postponed following this discussion.
The development comes in the wake of a private meeting between the BASL delegation and Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, during which the Cardinal firmly distanced himself from any call for the proposed amendment. He had reportedly requested that details of the meeting not be disclosed to the media.
Clarifying his position, Cardinal Ranjith stated that he had not requested the 22nd Amendment and had instead urged the government to pursue a comprehensive constitutional reform. “We asked for a full constitutional overhaul. Not something like this. We want reforms that address our concerns. A broad constitutional reform that maintains the status of Buddhism as it is, and prevents our people from being misled by newly emerging groups like the ‘born-again’ movements. That was our request,” the Cardinal said.
Senior Attorney Rienzie Arsekularatne, who participated in the meeting, had briefed the Cardinal on the potential risks and adverse impacts of the proposed amendment.
According to political sources, Cardinal Ranjith subsequently informed President Anura Kumara directly that he does not support the 22nd Amendment. The President had attempted to clarify the government’s position and persuade the Cardinal to reconsider, but these efforts were reportedly unsuccessful.
Following the Cardinal’s firm stance, the President is said to have assessed that moving ahead with the amendment could be politically hazardous. As a result, he has decided not to meet the Mahanayake Theros until a final decision is reached. This led to the cancellation of his planned visit to Kandy last Sunday (09).
With the amendment process now at a crossroads, the President has scheduled Wednesday’s meeting with the BASL after holding internal discussions with his senior political leadership. The outcome of this meeting is expected to shape the government’s next steps.
Sources close to the administration suggest that the matter may conclude with a statement indicating that the amendment will be incorporated into the new Constitution, and therefore will not be introduced separately at this stage.