Vajira denies rivals’ claim

By Saman Indrajith

Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella told Parliament yesterday that efforts being made to bring in a new constitutional amendment regarding the duration of the presidential term were aimed at creating confusion in the public mind to enable President Ranil Wickremesinghe his stay in office longer.

Moving an adjournment motion on a Cabinet decision to bring an amendment to dispel any uncertainty and reconcile the terms of the President’s and Parliament’s terms as stated in Articles 30(2), 62(2), and 83(b) of the Constitution, Kiriella said:

“This will be referred to the Supreme Court. Then the Supreme Court will say that a referendum is needed. Without a referendum, an amendment of this nature cannot be permitted. That will require more time and the resultant confusion will let the President continue in office.

“The Supreme Court has thrice interpreted the term of a President to be five years and there is no need for an amendment. The US Constitution is 250 years old. It was created in 1871. It has been interpreted by the Supreme Court of that country more than 350 times. There was no inclusion of those interpretations as amendments every time an interpretation came. Whenever an interpretation is given, it automatically becomes a part of the Constitution. There is no need for an amendment. The government’s aim is clear.

That is to create confusion and chaos,” Kiriella said. JVP/NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake seconded the motion and said that proposed reforms aimed to amend Article 83 of the Constitution.

This cannot be done without a referendum. Bringing in a referendum at a time a presidential election should be held can create a major confusion in society. The government without a proper plan is hoping that such uncertainty will be beneficial to it.

As of now there are three presidential candidates in the government ranks. There are two presidential candidates in the Cabinet itself – President Wickremesinghe and Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe. In addition, government MP Dhammika Perera too says that he will run for President.

They already have three candidates. Nobody knows what Namal Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa will do. These uncertainties have propelled Wickremesinghe to plunge the country into chaos thinking that he could find a way to cling onto the presidency,” Dissanayake said.

UNP MP Vajira Abeywardena said the President himself had submitted the Cabinet paper to make it clear that the tenure of the President was only five years. He did so even before the Supreme Court decision.