Thousands of opposition supporters braved torrential rain to march through Battaramulla on Thursday (24), demanding the government scrap the proposed 22nd Constitutional Amendment.
The protest, organised by the main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), began this morning at Polduwa Junction and moved towards the parliamentary access road, drawing activists, party members and civil society representatives despite earlier claims that several opposition groups would stay away.
Security forces deployed additional personnel around Polduwa Junction as the protest got under way, and the resulting congestion brought traffic in the surrounding area to a near standstill for much of the morning.
The heavy police presence reflected concerns that the crowd, which had swelled considerably despite the poor weather, could disrupt access to Parliament.
The SJB has stressed that any reform to the Constitution must be preceded by extensive public consultation, input from legal experts and safeguards for democratic norms.
Speaking ahead of the march, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said the proposed amendment threatened to significantly undermine the country’s democratic institutions, judicial independence and the rule of law.
He noted that despite the government commanding a two-thirds majority in Parliament, the protection of citizens’ fundamental rights and the independence of state institutions remained essential pillars of any functioning democracy.
The SJB has maintained that governing power ought not to be concentrated in a single political centre and that the checks and balances built into the Constitution needed to operate as originally intended.
Several described the amendment as a direct challenge to the institutional balance that underpins the country’s governance framework.
SJB members said that the scale of Thursday’s turnout, achieved despite adverse weather and predictions of a limited showing, has strengthened their resolve to escalate its campaign against the 22nd amendment.