Major rally against executive powers

Monday, 10 November 2014 00:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A major rally is to be staged with the participation of several political parties and groups including the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), to push for the Executive Presidency to be abolished. The rally will be staged at the Muttiah play grounds in Colombo on Wednesday. The leader of the People’s Movement for a Just Society, the Venerable Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thero, told reporters that President Mahinda Rajapaksa still has time to introduce constitutional changes which give an Executive Prime Minister and Parliament the powers and not the President.

Leader of the People’s Movement for a Just Society, Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera and Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) President Venerable Atureliye Ratana Thera speaks at a media conference announcing a plan for a mass campaign to force the Government to postpone the presidential elections - Pic by Pradepp Dilrukshana He said that if the President listens to the majority opinion which is against the Executive Presidency then there will not be a need to hold a presidential election next year. The Venerable Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thero said that the attempt to gather support for a common opposition candidate for the Presidential elections next year is not to have another President but to use the candidate to abolish the Executive Presidency. Meanwhile, the JHU today renewed its call to President Mahinda Rajapaksa to bring about the constitutional changes proposed by the JHU before holding a presidential election. JHU MP, the venerable Athureliya Rathana Thera, said that the Government has been asking the JHU why it is creating instability in the Government. However, the MP said the JHU response has been why the Government is in a hurry to hold a presidential election when the current President still has another two years before his second term ends. He said that the Executive Presidency has been the cause for corruption in the country and so the JHU will support the major rally on Wednesday and push for constitutional changes and to abolish the Executive Presidency. (Colombo Gazette)

Ranil says MR in a fix over third term

Opposition United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinge says President Mahinda Rajapaksa has put himself in a fix on contesting for a third term in office. The UNP leader told reporters yesterday that implementing the 18th Amendment to the Constitution has led to most of the issues on Rajapaksa contesting for a third term. He said that by making some opposition members to join the Government to back the 18th Amendment at the time it was presented to Parliament was the biggest mistake the President had made. Wickremesinge also said that the President cannot seek the opinion of the Supreme Court on an issue involving an individual and not a common issue or class of citizens. The President has already sought the opinion of the Supreme Court on if he can contest for a third term in office and the opinion is expected to be conveyed to the President tomorrow. Wickremesinge says by seeking the opinion of the court even before elections are announced puts the Elections Commissioner in a spot as well as he can decide if a candidate can contest or not. The UNP leader is of the opinion that the Elections Commissioner will not be able to take an independent decision on the issue once the holding of a presidential election is announced and nominations are handed over, as the Supreme Court opinion will be used to influence his decision. (Colombo Gazette)