Democracy is Constitutional Government and Rule of Law, not mass hysteria

Ex-Parliament Secy. Gen. responds to Sajith

• Says the Current President has a valid constitutional mandate to hold the position   

With reference to the comments made by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa on the legitimacy of the mandate of President Ranil Wickremesinghe to hold that office and the demand for a Presidential Election to seek a fresh mandate, Former Parliament Secretary General Priyanee Wijesekera has responded with the following facts in a statement to the media.   

“Our Constitution, by Article 40 provides for a process of succession in the event of a vacancy occurring in the post of Executive President. This provision was used previously when the late D.B.Wijetunga was elected by the Parliament following the assassination of President R.Premadasa. On that occasion, there was not a hum of protest and the then Leader of the Opposition Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike fully supported the move.   
“Even under the previous Constitution of 1947, it was legitimate for Mrs Bandaranaike to be appointed as Prime Minister from the Senate. Thus she too was not elected by popular election.   

Furthermore, in the current situation, we should remember that even the present Opposition accepted the validity of the Provision in Article 40 when they nominated Dulles Allahapperuma to challenge Ranil Wickremesinghe’s candidature.   

“Therefore it should be accepted that the current President holds a valid Constitutional mandate to hold the position.   

Furthermore, when calling for the holding of a Presidential election prematurely, attention should be drawn to Article 31(3a) e of the Constitution, which states that a person who succeeds to the post of Executive President is not entitled to call for a fresh mandate after 4 years in office,” Ms.Wijesekera said.   

“It should be clear to everyone that a popular mandate at the elections is no guarantee of the ability of the winner to handle the job. This was amply demonstrated by Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s resignation in acceptance of that fact. 
“Democracy is based on Constitutional Government and the Rule of Law, not mass hysteria,” she says. 

• It should be clear to everyone that a popular mandate at the elections is no guarantee of the ability of the winner to handle the job