The constitution of a country is the supreme law which defines the principles upon which the State is based. It also acts as a limiter of state power by establishing lines which governments cannot cross; these lines include our fundamental rights. This denotes that all public authorities, their orders or law must be in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.
However, with a two thirds majority in Parliament, the government of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) has been pushing for legislations, sometimes in total secrecy and without any transparency. The 18th amendment to the constitution and the elections amendment bill, which violate constitutional guarantees stand as proof to such conduct.
Month of May brought in two such legislations/directives which have been controversial and widely criticized by the majority of society. These are the proposed pension scheme for the private sector and the leadership training programme for university entrants. Both these directives came out of the blue, illustrating a lack of respect for procedure and with minimum dialogue with the stakeholders.
To download the full report click here