Laws and regulations in this regard are to be finalized before the end of the year. The Gazette Notification is to be issued subsequent to that.

Under the 18th Amendment which was endorsed by Parliament with a record majority recently, the Police Commission, the Elections Commission, the Bribery Commission, the Public Services Commission, Human Rights Commission, the Financial Commission and the Delimitation Commission would be set up. Under the Amendments a five-member Parliamentary Council would come into force replacing the now defunct Constitutional Council.

This would include the Prime Minister, Speaker of Parliament, Opposition Leader and a nominee each of the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader.

Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa has already notified the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader to send in their nominees.

The President after considering recommendations put forward by the Parliamentary Council would appoint heads and members to the Commissions.

Minister Rambukwella commenting on the matter said that the now defunct Constitutional Council was inherently flawed. It was impossible to reach a consensus on who should be appointed.

Further, the Constitutional Council consisted of members outside Parliament; making it impractical for the members to reach a consensus.

The new Parliamentary Council would consist only of members within the Parliament. Therefore, it is bound to work better and efficiently, he added.