Minister Basil Rajapaksha while participating at the debate today in the parliament said through out the last nine years none of us able to appoint members to the Independent Commissions.

Minister further added “This was the same issue even during the era of previous UNP administrations. That is why we brought this amendment in order to remove all blockades established by 17th amendments”

While speaking at the debate TNA MP S.Vinayagamoorthi said UNP whether they agree or disagree, being a much senior political party in this country should be able to face for the situations like this. They should come here and vote against the amendment, if they really need to do so. But if they are trying to deliberately avoid such situation, it clearly shows that UNP has no backbone.

UNP Leader Ranil Wickramasinghe while addressing an anti- Govt. protest march today in Colombo said the parliament has no moral right to pass the 18th amendment only with a 2/3 majority.

He further said “It should be kept before the people of this country. By not going for a referendum, the Govt. has violated the rights of the people of this country”

Badulla district UNP MP Lakshman Seneviratne while speaking in the parliament today during the debate on the proposed 18th amendment said that the UNP’s decision to boycott today’s debate is a support extended towards the 18A indirectly.

MP Seneviratne who expressed his willingness to vote in favour of the amendment on last Friday said that the opposition Leader Ranil Wcikremasinghe couldn’t realize his inability to recognize the pulse of the ordinary people of this country and that weakness itself leads to the destruction of UNP.

Galle district UNP MP Manusha Nanayakkara & Gampaha district UNP MP Ms. Upeksha Swarnamali mostly known as “Paba” attended today’s parliament session despite of UNP call to boycott parliament today.

It is reliably learnt that Kandy district UNP MP Abdul Carder and Digamadulla district TNA MP M.Piyasena who pledged their support in favour of 18th amendment will cross over to the UPFA Govt. today.

It is reported that tens of thousands of people, carrying photos of President Mahinda Rajapaksha came from various parts of the island gathered by the side of Horton Place from Lipton Circle to Parliament Circle in order to support the proposed 18th amendment.

Many UPFA Politicians like Minister Basil Rajapasksha, Susil Premajayantha, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Piyasena Gamage, WPC Chief Minister Prasanna Ranatunghe, MP Mervyn Silva were seen among the demonstrators.

Meanwhile it is also learnt that people gathered in may towns outside Colombo in large numbers to support 18th amendment.

Puttlam district UNP MP Palitha Range Bandara told today that he will boycott the 18th amendment vote which will take place this evening in the parliament and the scheduled UNP protest demonstration against 18th amendment as well.

It is now confirmed that Digamadulla district TNA MP M. Piyasena also decided to vote for the 18th Amendment today in the parliament. With the decision of MP Piyasena, he became the 18th opposition MP to vote for the amendment.

Previously together with 8 SLMC members, opposition parliamentarians such as Praba Ganeshan, Digambaram, Abdul Carder,  Earl Gunasekara, Lakshman Seneviratne, Manusha Nanayakkara, Nimal Wijesinghe, J.Sri Ranga & Ms. Upeksha Swarnamali pledged their support for the proposed amendment.

Informed sources revealed that the Digamadulla district TNA MP M. Piyasena might cast his vote in favour of 18th Amendment today.

It is also reported that MP Piyasena, the only Sinhalese elected to the parliament from Tamil dominated TNA had a discussion with President Rajapaksha yesterday at Temple Trees. However, the out comes of the above discussion is not yet known, sources revealed.