“The proposed amendment to the Constitution is to be made after evaluating the Supreme court judgements in this regard and the Constitutional provisions related to the Right to Information in other countries,” he said.

He added that the government has adopted a two pronged approach to ensure people’s right to information.

“We are planning to amend the constitution to recognise the right to information as a fundamental right. On the other hand, we are in the process of drafting the Right to Information Bill,” he said.

Speaking at a press conference at the Media Ministry auditorium, Paranavithana said a 15 member working committee is also in the process of drafting the Right to Information Bill which is to be presented to Parliament for approval within 100 days.

“This committee comprises secretaries of Media and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry, Public Administration Ministry and Justice Ministry, President ‘s Counsel Jayampathi Wickremaratne and the representatives of the civil society and media societies in the country,” he said.

Paranavithana added this this committee is finalizing the formulation of the draft Bill to be forwarded to the Legal Draftmen.

“Media and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Gayantha Karunatilake has directed us that maximum efforts should be made to draft a progressive and a futuristic Bill to ensure people’s right to information,” he said.

He said the ministry had published advertisements seeking public views on the proposed Right to Information Bill and they are also being taken into consideration for the formulation of the draft Bill.

He said that the proposed Bill will be made public in the form of a Gazzette notification with the intention of obtaining further public opinion.