President’s term: Seeking SC ruling useless - Wijenayake
Attorney-at-Law Lal Wijenayake, a member of the committee to seek public opinion in connection with compiling a new Constitution, today (11) said it would be fruitless to seek the Supreme Court’s ruling on the start and end dates of President Maithripala Sirisena’s Presidential term, as the Clause 30.2 in the 19th Amendment to the Constitution states that the tenure is five years from the day the results are declared.
Wijenayake made this statement in response to the recent claim by General Secretary of the SLFP Dayasiri Jayasekara that they were of the opinion that the Presidential election should be held after 21 June 2020, if they count five years from 21 June 2020, the date the Speaker signed the 19th Amendment to the Constitution Bill. Therefore, the President might seek the opinion of the SC to determine the start and end dates of his term, Jayasekara said.
Wijenayake said the 19th Amendment to the Constitution clearly states that the Presidential Term begins on the day that results are declared and therefore, Jayasekara’s argument will not work.
