JVP renews call for dissolution of P’ment, NEC

Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake (second from left) addresses the media. From left: JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva and JVP MP Lal Kantha are also present 

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has urged the Government to dissolve Parliament as well as the National Executive Council (NEC) since they had a mandate to exist for only 100 days.

“This mandate was over with this Government completing its 100 days. So both should be dissolved,” JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake told a media briefing yesterday.

He said that the 100-day program of the Sirisena Government was completed few weeks ago and now it was time for the Government to start on a new journey.

He said that the NEC was not a system that operates a Government but was established with the intention of introducing constitutional reforms, legal amendments, taking legal action against corruption and offering people tax relief.

 “We discussed the 19th Amendment to the Constitution at the NEC and passed it in Parliament. We have also discussed some Acts like the right to information, and we also talked about taking legal action against corruption, a code of ethics for Parliamentarians and also introducing a new electoral system at the NEC. The task given to the NEC is accomplished,” he said, adding that the now these issues needed to be discussed with political parties, relevant authorities and the President, to finalise them.

Dissanayake said the JVP, which is a part of the NEC, believed that it was now useless to have the NEC, which was formed to advice the new Sirisena Government.

Meanwhile, the JVP Leader also stressed that the new Government had no right to be in office as it was given a mandate only for 100 days.

“The present Parliament was selected at the 2010 elections and the UNP can’t form a Government under the people’s mandate given in 2010. The UNP and SLFP were also not given a mandate to form a joint Government by the people in 2010,” he pointed out.

“Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe doesn’t have a mandate to hold power,” he stressed.

He said that the JVP had a lengthy discussion with President Maithripala Sirisena on these issues and the President had agreed to hold a general election under the present proportional representation system.

JVP Secretary Tilvin Silva and Politburo member D. Lalkantha were also present at the media conference.