By Shamindra Ferdinando

Former SLPP Chairman Prof. G. L. Peiris has urged his former party not to back what he called a constitutional misadventure hugely detrimental to the electoral process.

Top Opposition Spokesman Prof. Peiris emphasised that the ruling party with the largest single group of MPs could quite easily thwart President Ranil Wickremesinghe contentious move to amend Article 83(b) with an ulterior bid to pave the way for a referendum ahead of the presidential election constitutionally scheduled to be held between Sept 17 and Oct 16 this year.

The one time-Foreign Minister said so in response to a query by The Island yesterday (18).

On the evening of the previous day, Prof. Peiris told a hurriedly called media briefing that President Wickremesinghe’s camp was going ahead with a despicable project to cause turmoil. “Their objective is clear. Having accepted the position of the President to complete the remainder of ousted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s five year term, the UNP leader is exploring ways and means of extending his period in office,” Prof. Peiris said.

The retired top law academic said that as 2/3 approval was required for the proposed constitutional amendment for the operation to be moved to the next stage, the holding of a referendum, the SLPP couldn’t under any circumstances vote for this amendment.

Prof. Peiris said that the SLPP could put an end to this nonsense by depriving the parliamentary backing for the move. Recalling the circumstances President Ranil Wickremsinghe made Local Government polls

disappear in early last year, Prof. Peiris declared that the cost of a proposed referendum was estimated at Rs 10,000 mn.

The former minister said that the government couldn’t secure backing of 150 MPs though it commanded a healthy simple majority in parliament. Having been reduced to just one MP at the last parliamentary election, the hapless UNP entirely depends on the SLPP to see the controversial amendment through.

The SLPP secured 145 seats at the last general election though approximately 25 MPs had switched their allegiance to the Opposition since early 2022.

Prof. Peiris said that if MPs backed the move meant to derail scheduled presidential polls, fresh countrywide turmoil could erupt. Consequences would be quite devastating, Prof. Peiris said, pointing out that failed bids to move the Supreme Court successfully against the presidential election showed the bankruptcy of the UNP-led grouping.

“We haven’t heard of people complaining of their fundamental rights being violated by holding elections. Such rights are violated by putting off elections,” Prof. Peiris said, urging the lawmakers to be mindful of the growing threat posed by a President who sought to extend his term through other means.