24/11/2018
Rasika Jayakody writes in Colombo Telegraph that “It is against this backdrop that S. B. Dissanayake, a stalwart of the UPFA, publicly urged Sirisena to withdraw his call for the dissolution of Parliament and allow the current Parliament to continue its full term.” (https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/presidential-election-the-only-way-to-break-the-current-political-impasse/?fbclid=IwAR3geK4c_1vdFkkp1Ynk9HJekpcOGoy1lpZceea3Kk8b6BZSikXIPG4NuA0)
Not exactly. The reason why SBD suggested a withdrawal of the gazette has much more deeper implication.
For a moment consider the following.
Supreme Court decides in favour of the petitioners and rules that the dissolution is unconstitutional.
The 122 MP’s, a clear majority, then petitions the speaker to accept an impeachment motion on the grounds that MS has breached the constitution - one of the possible clauses in the constitution to call for an impeachment.
Speaker accepts the motion and refers it to the Supreme Court, again, a possible clause if there is no two thirds majority.
Given that the Supreme Court has already ruled that the dissolution is unconstitutional, one can surmise that the SC can only agree to the impeachment of MS.
This is why SBD is now looking for away out. However, the act, once committed, does not absolve the president even if the gazette is withdrawn.
Consider the implications and work towards achieving that end result.
By Rasika Jayakody - Sri Lanka’s political crisis is far from resolved. Although the United National Front (UNF), the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) have passed two no-confidence motions against former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and have demonstrated
