A new constitution for Sri Lanka will be formulated and put to public referendum after being passed through parliament, said Sri Lanka’s co-cabinet spokesperson Dr Rajitha Senaratne.
Dr Senaratne said that the unity government was given a mandate by 6.2 million people and would respect this.
Responding to comments made by journalists regarding rejection of any new constitution by senior monks of the Buddhist clergy, Dr Senaratne said that the mandate of 6.2 million for a new constitution also includes support from Buddhist monks and leaders of other religions.
"The monks can have their views, but the people's mandate at two elections in 2015 was to change the constitution," Senaratne said, according to The Hindu. "We will not work against the people's will just because Buddhist monks want us to do so."
The cabinet spokesperson added that every constitution in the world goes through amendments, reiterating that the draft constitution once completed will be tabled in parliament to be passed by a two-thirds majority before a public referendum is held.
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