News
SJB accuses govt. of trying to put off Presidential poll
By Saman Indrajith
Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella told Parliament yesterday that President Ranil Wickremesinghe was planning to put off the Presidential polls with the help of some crony civil society organisations.
Participating in the debate on President Wickremeisnghe’s government policy statement, Kiriella said that a plot was being orchestrated to postpone the presidential polls.
“There was no mention of the presidential election in the President’s speech. There is no single reference to democracy. There is a plan to have the presidential polls put off making use of civil societies as cat’s paws. Their plan is to move a proposal for the abolition of the executive presidency. The Constitution will have to be amended for that purpose. Amending the constitution is a time consuming process. Their plan is to bring the proposal for amending the Constitution to abolish the executive presidency and to put off the presidential polls until such time,” Kiriella said.
Kiriella said the Chairman of the National Elections Commission during an interview last week had been unable to state what it would do if the government tried to put off the presidential election.
“There was an interview last week where the Chairman of the Elections Commission was asked about holding elections. It was pointed out that the Elections Commission had not been able to do anything when the government refused to release funds for conducting the local government elections. Asked what would happen if the government sought to put off the presidential polls, the Chairman of the National Elections Commission could not give a clear answer. This is a shame! We will not allow this government to continue in this manner.
Following the conclusion of bilateral discussions between President Anura Kumara Disanayake and Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, official-level talks between the delegations of Sri Lanka and India commenced this morning (05) at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo.
Representing the Government of Sri Lanka were Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath; Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Anil Jayantha; Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake; Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, along with other senior officials.
The Indian delegation included Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and His Excellency Santosh Jha, High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, along with several other senior officials of the Government of India.
Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, who arrived in Sri Lanka on the invitation of President Anura Kumara Disanayake on Friday [04] night, visited the Presidential Secretariat this morning (05).
The Indian Prime Minister was warmly welcomed by President Anura Kumara Disanayake upon his arrival at the Presidential Secretariat.
Prime Minister Modi is currently on a state visit to Sri Lanka, reaffirming the theme “Friendship of Centuries — Commitment to a Prosperous Future” which symbolises the longstanding ties between Sri Lanka and India. The Indian Premier is scheduled to remain in the country until tomorrow (06).
[PMD]
The official welcoming ceremony for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was held this morning (05) at the Independence Square in Colombo.
On arrival at the Independence Square the Indian Prime Minister was warmly welcomed by President Anura Kumara Disanayake.
Discussions between Sri Lankan and Indian delegations at the presidential secretariat
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Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi arrives at the presidential secretariat
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