Don’t mess with the franchise

President Ranil Wickremesinghe made an extraordinary statement this week arguing that elections can be held once there is economic stability. He informed the 32nd Rotary District Conference in Colombo that he intends to ensure that law and order is maintained to prevent anarchy while prioritising on economic recovery so that the country can decide on its future through the ballot next year. The statement comes in the wake of his Government making dubious attempts to postpone the local government elections scheduled for next month by the Elections Commission. 

The President had said that “democracy depends on the maintenance of public order which requires law and order” and added that “without these essential components, democracy would be replaced by anarchy.” Following the country’s economic recovery, which according to the President shall be reached by next year the country would be in a position to decide on the future it wants, with the use of the ballot.

A proposition for a postponement of elections until there is economic stability is one of the most ludicrous ideas ever presented in Sri Lanka’s 90-year democratic history. Who is to decide that Sri Lanka has reached such a state? If in the opinion of Ranil Wickremesinghe Sri Lanka has not reached such a state by the next general election or the presidential election then is the country to postpone those elections as well until he deems it is suitable to hold a ballot? This is nothing but a power grab by an unelected leader who has no popular mandate to occupy the highest office in the land.

For 30 long years there was a civil war in this country with up to one third of the country being under the occupation and meaningful control of a non-state actor. In addition, during the 1980s a violent insurgency raged in the south of the country. During these periods there was actual anarchy and breakdown of civil administration in most parts of the island and economic stability was the least of the problems of the State. Yet, even during those dark days Sri Lanka managed to maintain its democracy by holding elections on time. 

The one instance that the franchise of the people was compromised was in 1982 when president Jayawardena held a referendum to extend the life of parliament by a further six years rather than hold a new general election. This undemocratic manoeuvre by the ruling party to maintain its parliamentary majority was one of the primary reasons for the flaring up of the Southern insurgency. If the lived history of Sri Lanka is anything to go by, denying the electorate its democratic space will not lead to any positive outcome.

It is also condescending to the general public that the President believes that he has somehow become the arbiter of determining how and when the people can express their will at a ballot. No one has given him such power. If the President is preaching law and order he must then start by adhering to the Constitution. In the supreme law of the land he has not been bestowed any king-like powers to postpone elections. If at all the Constitution empowers the President to call for early elections, both parliamentary and presidential.   

President J.R. Jayewardene who had an overwhelming people’s mandate from the general election in 1977 eventually delivered two civil wars by the end of second term in office. His attempts to suppress the will of the people backfired, ending in utter ruin of the country. Any attempt by the current incumbent who doesn’t possess any mandate from the people nor the formidable character of Jayewardene, will either end up as an absolute farce or a monumental tragedy.