President should seek a fresh mandate - MP Channa Jayasumana

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana  

President Ranil Wickremesighe should seek a fresh mandate if he wants to make fresh policy decisions with regard to security or any other matter, MP Channa Jayasumana told Parliament yesterday.  

Speaking during the committee stage debate on the budget, MP Jayasumana said it is not clear whether a person who is elected by the House to serve the remaining period after a President resigns can go for an election after four and a half years. “The opinion has to be sought from the Judiciary to get this cleared,” he said.  

“I am prepared to bring a private members’ motion to provide provisions for the incumbent President to go for a snap presidential election,” he added.  

He said the incumbent President has been defeated in 1994, 2004 and 2019 and therefore he does not have any mandate to implement his policies. Accordingly he said the present President should go for a fresh presidential election.   

“Members of Parliament have to elect a new President if the winner of a Presidential election dies on his way back home after swearing in. This is against the principles of democracy.