Acting Prime Minister at President's discretion

There have been various speculative media reports regarding the non appointment of an acting Prime Minister last week.

The Daily News checked with relevant authorities to establish facts behind this. When President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga left for London on April 9, there was a possibility that she may not be able to attend the three-day Asian-African Summit in Indonesia.

The President had signed the papers to appoint Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake acting Prime Minister in the event of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse attending the summit. Minister Wickremanayake was informed to make himself available from April 20 to accept the appointment.

The Secretary to the President had sought the Attorney General advice who had confirmed there was no Constitutional provision for such an appointment.

The Daily News learns the President had on a previous occasion sought the opinion of a former Attorney General and a senior lawyer both of who had advised her that even though there is no specific Constitutional provision, the Constitution does not preclude the appointment of an acting Prime Minister.

Therefore the President may at her discretion appoint someone to act as Prime Minister in the incumbent's absence from the country.