War against Executive Presidency

By Ashanthi Warunasuriya

 

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) is to begin a battle to abolish the Executive Presidency and ensure there is no executive President in the country even after the current President’s term ends in 2020.

The JVP leadership met last week and discussed several matters including the Executive Presidency.

At the meeting JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that there was an attempt by President Maithripala Sirisena to continue with the Executive Presidency.

He said that the JVP must gather the support of political parties and civil society who oppose the Executive Presidency and launch a campaign against it.

The JVP leader also said that a public awareness campaign must also be launched to gather support against the Executive Presidency.

President Maithripala Sirisena had earlier this year sought the advice of the court on his term in office.

A five judge bench had been appointed by the Supreme Court to decide on President Maithripala Sirisena’s term in office.

The five judge bench of the Supreme Court later held an open court hearing to determine the number of years the President can hold office.

The President’s office had said that two different views had been expressed in legal, civil and political circles about the duration of the term of Presidency after the enactment of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

In order to dispel this confusion, the President had sought the opinion of the Supreme Court regarding the actual term of office.

The President had been told by the Supreme Court his term is limited to only five years.