A group of opposition MPs has requested the Elections Commission to call for the Presidential Election at the earliest possible date to prevent external conspiracies from impacting the Presidential Poll.
The letter to the Chairman of the Elections Commission, titled “Preventing the Impact of Constitutional Conspiracies on the Presidential Election and Conducting the Election on Time,” states that it is no secret that the current government, concerned about a potential loss in the upcoming presidential election, is making various efforts to postpone the election scheduled for 2024.
The letter claims that a recent attempt to amend the provisions of the constitution regarding the President’s term of office is part of this process. This move, according to the opposition MPs, seeks to undermine the Supreme Court’s clear interpretation of these provisions.
They argue that according to the constitution of Sri Lanka, the Presidential Election, which guarantees the inalienable sovereignty of the people and the right to vote, should not be postponed for any reason.
The letter also recalls that two years ago, the then-unpopular ruler was ousted by a public struggle, leading to the appointment of a temporary caretaker president for the remainder of the term. This appointment was made not by direct popular will but through the vote of elected members of parliament.
The opposition MPs insist that citizens should be given the opportunity to elect a new President with the people’s will, to exercise executive powers on their behalf, as soon as possible. They have requested the Elections Commission to make the necessary arrangements to hold the Presidential Election on the first possible day and to exercise its legal powers fully to ensure the election is conducted in a free and fair atmosphere.
