19A took away President’s constitutional power to remove PM

The President no longer enjoys the constitutional authority to remove a Prime Minister, Lawyers for Democracy (LFD) said in a statement yesterday, in what the civil society grouping said was an attempt to clarify constitutional provisions governing the appointment and removal of a Prime Minister in view of misinformation created after the local government elections.

“Prior to the 19th Amendment, the President had the constitutional power to remove a Prime Minister, but the 19th Amendment took away that power,” the LFD statement explained. Following parliamentary traditions, the body noted, the only way to remove a Prime Minister is to successfully move a no-confidence motion against him in Parliament. Under the constitution, the President has no role in such a process, it said.  (DB)