Private Member’s Bill to facilitate snap presidential poll in 2023

• Prof. Channa Jayasumana says President must obtain a mandate to implement policy reforms
• Claims due to Wickremesinghe’s past failures, attempts to initiate reforms without a mandate will create unrest
• Private Member’s Bill will propose elections to be held in a year when a successive President is elected through Parliament 

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna dissident MP Channa Jayasumana says a Private Member’s Bill will be presented to Parliament shortly, allowing for a presidential election to be held in the near future. Jayasumana said the bill will propose a constitutional amendment requiring a presidential election be held within a year’s time after a successive President is appointed by Parliament in the event of a President’s demise or resignation. 

Joining the debate on the Ministry of Defence budget, Jayasumana said if Wickremesinghe who replaced Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the President wishes to take policy decisions regarding issues of national security or other matters, he must obtain a new mandate. 

“According to the Constitution, a President can call for a presidential election after four years, but it is unclear whether a successive President will be entitled to it. Therefore, the opinion of the Supreme Court must be sought in this regard,” the MP said. 

Jayasumana said the basic principles of democracy are violated when a successive President is appointed through a vote in Parliament for five years if a President dies while in office or steps down. 

He said therefore, a Private Member’s Bill will be presented proposing a constitutional amendment requiring a presidential election in a year’s time after a successive President is appointed. 

“We hope to get it passed so that it will apply to Wickremesinghe as well. This would allow for a presidential election to be held in July 2023. If he wins this election, he can implement the political, economic and defence reforms planned,” he said. 

He pointed out that Wickremesinghe’s reforms were defeated at the hands of the people in 1994, 2004 and 2019. “Therefore, if they are carried out now without a people’s mandate, there will be serious unrest, instability and opposition in the country,” he noted.