Tuesday, 27 January 2015 00:34
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The committee involved in drafting Constitutional changes is to propose a five-year term for the president in future, President Maithripala Sirisena said.
Speaking at an event in Polonnaruwa, the President said that the committee met this week to discuss the Constitutional changes, which includes abolishing the executive presidential system.
Sirisena said that he had proposed at the meeting that the presidential term be reduced to four years and not six years.
However, the committee had felt that having a presidential election every four years would be too costly and a consensus was then reached that the presidential term be five years.
President Maithripala Sirisena said that he was keen to ensure a president remains in power for a short term and agreed to the proposed five years.
Accordingly, once the Constitutional changes are passed in Parliament before April this year, Sirisena will be President only for five years, after which a presidential election is held.
Sirisena says he had already decided not to seek re-election as president and will step down after one term in office. (Colombo Gazette)
