RW has no powers to hold Presidential Election this year: Vijitha

President Ranil Wickremesinghe, in terms of the Constitution, had no powers to hold a Presidential Election this year, National People's Power (NPP) MP Vijitha Herath said today.

He told a news conference that in terms of the Article 40 of the Constitution, a succeeding President has no powers to hold a Presidential election before the expiry of the full term of five years.

He said according to the provisions of the Article 40 of the Constitution, only the elected president had powers to hold a presidential election one year before the full term was expired on condition that if he or she was contesting the second term.

He said Gotabaya Rajapaksa could have conducted a presidential election after November this year and said Ranil Wickeremesinghe, as the succeeding president, has no such power.

The MP said President Wickremesinghe was empowered to conduct a presidential election only after November 2024. (Ajith Siriwardana)