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GL: Constitutional constraints prevent President from holding snap presidential election

Published

3 years ago

2023/08/4

By Rathindra Kuruwita

President Ranil Wickremesinghe can start the process of seeking a new mandate only by the end of July 2024, Freedom People’s Congress (FPC) member and MP Prof. G.L Peiris says.Prof. Peiris said that a president who was elected by the people could seek a fresh mandate four years after his or her election, but a president elected by Parliament was without that right.

Wickremesinghe had been elected by parliament, and therefore he had to complete the remainder of his predecessor’s term, but he could introduce a constitutional amendment to enable himself to hold a snap presidential election, said Prof. Peiris. Such an amendment had to be passed with a two-thirds majority. There was no need for a referendum, Prof. Peiris said.

Commenting on the 13th Amendment, Prof. Peiris said that seven executive presidents before Ranil Wickremesinghe had not fully implemented it for a reason.

‘The President called for an All Party Conference (APC) on devolution. The discussion was mainly on the full implementation of 13A, i. e., with police powers. We must first try to understand why previous Presidents didn’t fully implement 13A. If the same reasons that held their hands still remain, it is impossible to continue with the APC. The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) said they would not support it. The president must present the other parties with a proposal that has the backing of the government,” he said.

Prof. Peiris said that almost all opposition political parties were of the view that provincial council elections had to be held. This should be done prior to any discussion on 13A, Prof. Peiris said.

“If there are no provincial councils with elected representatives, who is to be entrusted with the full powers of 13A?” he asked.

The MP said that the President had promised Tamil political parties that a solution to the ethnic problem would be found by the end of the year. The collapse of the APC had shown that it was not possible for him to keep his promise. By making promises that he can’t keep, the President has disappointed Tamil parties and his credibility has suffered, Prof. Peiris said.

“The ethnic problem is a complex, hard, and a very emotional issue. Only a government that has a mandate from the people can do it. J.R. Jayewardene had a five-sixths majority in Parliament. Mahinda Rajapaksa had a close to two-thirds majority. Even they couldn’t fully implement 13A. So, how can this government and the President implement 13A within months?” he asked.

Prof. Peiris added that Sri Lanka must do more to engage with China to restructure its external debt. The government seemed to think that India and Japan could talk to China on behalf of Sri Lanka.

Prof. Peiris also said that there was no constitutional requirement for the government to obtain parliamentary approval for the domestic debt restructuring agreement. The President had presented the debt-restructuring plan to Parliament to cover his back, said Prof. Peiris, adding that the President should have provided parliament with all the information. The President had only provided the staff-level agreement the government had with the IMF, six months later. Parliament had been asking for information. When Ranil was a member of the opposition, he asked the then Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa to reveal all agreements with the IMF to Parliament. However, when he became President, he refused to do so, Prof. Peiris said.

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Related Topics:Freedom People’s Congress President Ranil Wickremesinghe

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President and Exco of Sri Lanka Cricket step down

Published

1 hour ago

2026/04/29

Priyan

Sri Lanka Cricket has announced today (29) that the President of Sri Lanka Cricket and members of the Executive Committee have tendered their resignations.

The decision has been formaly communicated to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports.

Latest News

Heat Index at Caution Level in the Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Kegalle, Trincomalee and Batticaloa districts during the day time

Published

8 hours ago

2026/04/29

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 3.30 p.m. on 28 April 2026, valid for 29 April 2026.

The Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Kegalle,
Trincomalee and Batticaloa districts during the day time.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.

News

Treasury chief’s citizenship details sought from Australia

Published

10 hours ago

2026/04/29

Sahan Weerasooriya

Nagananda / Harshana

New controversy erupts over missing USD 2.5 mn:

Public interest activist Nagananda Kodituwakku has sought citizenship details of Finance Ministry Secretary Harshana Suriyapperuma from the Department of Home Affairs, Australia.

According to a letter dated 28 April, addressed to the relevant department, Solicitor England and Wales Kodituwakku sought the required information in terms of Section 15 of the Freedom of Information Act No 3 of 1982 of Australia. Suriyapperuma is also the Secretary to the Treasury.

The former Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Suriyapperuma (from November 2024 to June 2025) is embroiled in a deepening controversy over the theft of USD 2.5 mn from the Treasury.

The leader of the Vinivida Foundation said that he intended to move court against Suriyapperuma for entering Parliament through the NPP National List in violation of the country’s Constitution (Article 91(1)(d)(xiiii).

Kodituwakku said: “This is clearly an accountability and integrity issue and violation of the Constitution of Sri Lanka and also this act contravenes the law of a member in the Commonwealth.”

USD 2.5 mn paid to a third party was meant to be an instalment of a loan taken from Australia. Suriyapperuma neither responded to an SMS nor answered his hand phone.

Geetha Kumarasinghe (UPFA/Galle District) and Diana Gamage (SJB National List) lost their seats in 2017 and 2024, respectively, over citizenship issues.

Meanwhile, public interest group ‘Free Lawyers’ that exposed the theft of Treasury funds questioned the failure on the part of Dr. Harsha de Silva, Chairman of Committee on Public Finance (CoPF), to pressure President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to temporarily remove Suriyapperuma to facilitate unhindered investigations.

On behalf of ‘Free Lawyers’, Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon yesterday expressed concern over the way the CoPF, under SJBer de Silva’s leadership, handled the issue at hand. Issuing an open letter, Tennakoon, urged the CoPF chief to explain his stand on a spate of vital issues which needed to be addressed without any further delay.

By Shamindra Ferdinando