JVP accuses President of making bogus claims about 19A

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) yesterday charged that President Maithripala Sirisena’s claim that the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was brought in haste was baseless and said it was discussed for months prior to its approval in Parliament.

JVP MP Vijitha Herath told a news conference that the President was trying to take credit for positives in the 19th Amendment while passing the buck on the negatives to others.

“The discussions on the 19th Amendment were ongoing even before the death of Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera. It was definitely not brought about in haste but there was a delay in the process. The 19th Amendment which was to be passed on 12 March 2015 was finally passed on 27 April 2015,” he said.

The MP said it was the SLFP MPs who changed the positive aspects of the 19 Amendment including that of the clause to prevent crossovers.

“The 19th Amendment can be considered an amendment passed in Parliament with a remarkable majority. Those who criticise it today also voted for it. The President’s extreme powers were scrapped from the 19th Amendment while it also removed the President’s powers to dissolve Parliament after one year. The 19th Amendment changed it to four and half years,” he said.

The MP said the President should at least now should admit to his political coup and listen to the majority in Parliament without blatantly violating the Constitution any further.

“At the SLFP convention, the President said he would resolve the crisis within seven days but now he is saying that he is waiting for the Supreme Court decision. He is continuing to consistently contradict himself,” he said.

The MP said the Judiciary was functioning impartially because of the steps taken to ensure an independent judicial system in the country through the 19th Amendment.

He said the President and the Rajapaksa faction were now claiming that a general election was the only solution to the political crisis and if so the President should have dissolved Parliament on 26 October.

Meanwhile, the MP said the JVP would not support any motion to reappoint Ranil Wickremesinghe to the post of Prime Minister.