UNP wants SC opinion tabled in P’ment; Speaker to consider
Friday, 14 November 2014 01:34
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Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa says he will take time and consider a request made by the opposition UNP to urge the Government to table in Parliament the Supreme Court opinion on President Mahinda Rajapaksa contesting for a third term in office.
The UNP yesterday urged the Speaker to consider the request as the opinion had been communicated to the President in secret and the basis for reaching the opinion was not known.
Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva informed Parliament this week that the Supreme Court (SC) had determined that President Mahinda Rajapaksa can contest for a third term in office.
He said that according to the determination of the court, which had been communicated to the President, there is no legal barrier preventing the President from holding an election after four years in office or seeking a third term.
UNP MP John Amaratunga told the Speaker that Parliament needs to know on what basis that opinion was reached by the Court and so the document must be tabled in the House. The Speaker said he would consider the UNP request.
The President had sought a determination from the Supreme Court whether he has any impediment to be elected to the office of President for a further term by appealing to the people for a mandate after his second term in office. The matter was taken up for consideration by a full bench of Judges presided over by Chief Justice Mohan Peiris. (Colombo Gazette)
