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Abolish Executive Presidency Before Next Presidential Election

Head of the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ), Ven.Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera,said yesterday if the Executive Presidency is not abolished before the next presidential election a coalition of political parties will select a common candidate to contest the next presidential election.

Ven.Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera, called for the abolition of the Executive Presidency during the rule of the present government.

Participating in a discussion organized by Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL), held at the auditorium of the Organization of Professional Associations (OPA), yesterday, he pointed out that the main constituent party of the present government, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), wanted the Executive Presidency abolished at the time it was introduced.

“SLFP Leader, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, protested against the Executive Presidency when it was introduced in 1978, and pledged to abolish it once they come into power. The incumbent President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, was also a major activist at the time that campaign was being conducted,” he added.

Speaking further, Ven. Sobitha Thera said all the left parties in the government have expressed their support to abolish the Executive Presidency and the government needs to take steps to do so. He added, the NMSJ has drafted the 19th Amendment to the Constitution and they want to create public awareness on the proposed amendment.

According to Ven. Sobitha Thera, the constitutional amendment and the abolishment of the Executive Presidency is the need of the hour as the Constitution, in its present form, vests too much power in the President. “Due to the lacunas in the Constitution, there are clashes between the Executive, Legislative and the Judiciary,” he said.

He went on to say that the Judiciary is also controlled by the President as the power of appointing judges to the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal lies with him.

“Even the Attorney General’s Department is under the President and the Attorney General has to act according to the dictates of the President,” he opined.

However, joining the discussion, the General Secretary of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), Udaya Gammanpila, said there is nothing wrong with the Executive Presidency, but the fault lies with the 1978 Constitution, and added that therefore the Constitution should be amended.

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