New amendment will prevent CBK and MR from becoming PM

May 28, 2017

The SLFP believes that the Executive Presidency should be abolished in a manner that will prevent former President Mahinda Rajapaksa from becoming the Prime Minister again.

Nimal Siripala de Silva who represents the SLFP in the Constitutional Steering Committee consisting of representatives from all parties discussed this matter with the Committee.

 

It is said that the SLFP has reached a consensus that when the Executive Presidency is abolished it should be done in a way that will prevent someone who has ruled the country for two terms from ruling it again.

 

According to this consensus both Chandrika Kumaratunga and Mahinda Rajapaksa will not be able to assume power as Prime Minister when the Executive Presidency is abolished.

 

However the UNP is yet to express its position on the matter and according to UNP sources Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe believes that the abolition of the Executive Presidency should not be done in a way that will prevent anyone from becoming the Prime Minister as he believes that such anobjective is undemocratic.

 

The 19th Constitutional Amendment introduced by the present government prevents a person who has served two terms as President from becoming the President for the third time. This Amendment prevents both Kumaratunga and Rajapaksa from becoming President again. However a proposal submitted by the Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Mano Ganesan, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Rauff Hakeem, All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) Rishad Bathiudeen and the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) Douglas Devananda states that while in agreement of curtailing executive powers, they are by no means agreeable with abolishing the Executive Presidency.

 

 - Sathhanda