Federation of National Organisations Convener Dr.Gunadasa Amarasekara called on President Maithripala Sirisena to hold a referendum if the Supreme Court rules against the dissolution of Parliament.
Addressing a press conference in Rajagiriya, Dr.Amarasekara said referring the matter to the people would be wiser than referring it to the SC judges.
He argued that the President has the powers to call for a referendum to seek public opinion on any matter which has national importance.
He recalled how the people in the UK voted in favour of Brexit at a referendum when authorities hesitated to take that decision.
“I am not an expert on the law, but I am of the opinion that the President’s decision was Constitutional. During Local Government polls in February, the people clearly rejected the Government which then prevailed,” he commented.
Dr.Amarasekara said the 19th Amendment to the Constitution must be immediately done away with. “Even though 1978 Constitution contained excessive executive powers, there were no overlapping provisions.The 19th Amendment is overwhelmed with overlapping provisions and is only good for lawyers to continue arguing. We need a new Constitution,” he added.
Dr.Amarasekara commenting on the President’s recent remark that ‘the current crisis is an outcome of a clash between local thinking and anti-national thinking’, said that he is happy that the President has “grown wisdom at least now”.
Dr.Wasantha Bandara said the President should immediately declare a General Election if the SC ruling was in favour of his decision and if not he must call for a referendum. He asked the President to get all nationalist forces together to make a broader alliance to contest for the elections and to protect the unity between the President and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Kalyananda Thiranagama and retired Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara also spoke.
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