President firm on 5-year term limit
President Ranil Wickremesinghe is firmly of the opinion that the term of the President is 5 years, and the Election Commission is correct in taking steps to hold the Presidential Election in 2024, a media release issued by the President’s Media Division says.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe states that the said Chamindra Dayan Lenawa has not consulted the President or his lawyers prior to filing this Application in the Supreme Court, the statement adds.
It further notes : It has been brought to the attention of the Government that one Chamindra Dayan Lenawa has filed an Application in the Supreme Court under and in terms of Articles 126 read with Articles 12(1), 82(6), 3, 4, 118 and 125 of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka praying, inter alia, for a declaration that Article 30(2) should not be interpreted to be amended ab initio by Section 3 of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution and accordingly the Election Commission shall hold the next presidential election taking into account that the term of the office of the President is 6 years and for an interim order restraining the members of the Election Commission from taking any further steps in conducting a Presidential Election in 2024 until the Supreme Court determines this Application.
