Bid to postpone presidential election:

UNP leader admits his term is only five years

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Top Opposition spokesman Prof. G. L. Peiris yesterday (4) said that Chaminda Dayan Lenawa, who had moved the Supreme Court the previous day seeking the postponement of the presidential poll by one year should come clean as to who prompted him to seek a postponement of the vital poll.

The former External Affairs Minister said that Lenawa, a resident of Galle Road, Panadura owed an explanation especially against the backdrop of the President’s Media Division (PMD) statement denying President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s involvement whatsoever in the fundamental rights application (SC FR 177/2024).

The PMD quoted President Wickremesinghe as having said that Lenawa hadn’t consulted him or his lawyers before he moved the Supreme Court.Prof. Peiris said that President Wickremesinghe through the PMD statement had been compelled to acknowledge that the presidential term is for five years.

Addressing the media just hours after Lenawa moved the Supreme Court under and in terms of Articles 126 read with Articles 12(1), 82(6), 3, 4, 118 and 125 of the Constitution, on Wednesday, Prof. Peiris declared the main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) would intervene in the petition.

Referring to recent appeal by UNP General Palitha Range Bandara that the presidential poll should be postponed by two years, Prof. Peiris said that Lenawa wouldn’t have intervened in this matter without the blessings at the highest level of the UNP.

There had never been a previous instance of a political party in power trying to postpone a presidential poll, Prof. Peiris said, declaring confidence that the Supreme Court would simply dismiss the application.

The former Law Professor said that there couldn’t be any uncertainty over the presidential term as UNP leader Wickremesinghe was elected by parliament in July 2022 to complete the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s term.

Prof. Peiris said that the country expected the Election Commission to go ahead with preparations as stipulated in the Constitution and the Presidential Election Act. “The next presidential election should be conducted between Sept 17 and Oct 18, this year. No one can interfere with the stipulated process,” Prof. G. L. Peiris said, adding that the SJB felt the responsibility on its part to make representations to ensure the rights of the people.

Prof. Peiris told The Island that since President Wickremesinghe made Local Government disappear in March last year, the Opposition realised that the incumbent administration would do whatever possible to extend the life of the hugely unpopular administration.

The presidential term was reduced to five years from six in terms of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

Meanwhile, Chief Government Whip Prasanna Ranatunga told a gathering at Minuwangoda yesterday that President Wickremesinghe nor his government wanted to put off presidential or any other poll.Minister Ranatunga reiterated that Wickremesinghe should be elected through the SLPP to lead the country over the next five years.