Susil slams Speaker for reconvening P’ment

 MP Susil Premajayantha - Pic by Chathura S. Kodikara

• Claims even if two-thirds majority dissolves Parliament, President’s approval still needed

 By Nuwan Senarathna

Parliamentarian Susil Premajayantha yesterday alleged Speaker Karu Jayasuriya’s decision to reconvene Parliament on 14 November without an Order Paper was in contravention to the Supreme Court’s Stay Order on the gazette dissolving Parliament issued by President Maithripala Sirisena.  

“Speaker Karu Jayasuriya’s decision to reconvene Parliament without an Order Paper had violated the Stay Order of the Supreme Court by failing to maintain the status of Parliament prior to the Stay Order,” Premajayantha told reporters at the Prime Minister’s Office. 

He pointed out that the situation prior to the Stay Order would have to be maintained until the Supreme Court delivered its verdict. 

“The President’s decision to reconvene Parliament on 14 November was not changed by the Stay Order issued by the Supreme Court on 13 November. Therefore, it was not a decision taken by the Speaker to reconvene Parliament, but from 14 November the Speaker reconvened Parliament without an Order Paper.” 

He also said that the general election would be the best option to resolve the current political uncertainty in the country, adding that a general election would not violate the basic rights of voters. 

“MPs are agents of the public, therefore letting the public select their agents of the Legislature would not violate the public’s mandate,” he added.

Referring to the dissolution of Parliament by passing the requested two-thirds majority, he claimed that the President was vested with the authority to make the final decision to dissolve Parliament under Subsection 1 of Article 71. 

“The President can decide not to dissolve Parliament even if the request is passed with a two-thirds majority,” he claimed.  

Speaking on the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna’s (SLPP) plans to win in the Northern and Eastern provinces if a general election was called, Premajayantha said that SLPP had the capability to gain the support of Tamil and Muslim voters.

He pointed out that the SLPP had appointed organisers to the Northern and Eastern provinces to gain this support. 

“If we analyse the local government election, the SLPP had considerably better results than the United National Party (UNP) therefore I don’t think we have any problem with getting votes from the Tamil and Muslim communities.”

Premajayantha emphasised that Tamil political leaders like Douglas Devananda would play a big role in the Northern Province in a possible upcoming general election.