Ranil calls for anarchy

UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe ended UNP's Jana Bala Meheyuma yesterday in Colombo exhorting the people to ensure that the Presidential Elections be held by November this year through peoples' power as there was no necessity to consult the Elections Commissioner or seek a ruling from the Supreme Court.

This according to constitutional and legal experts is a direct call for the people to overthrow the incumbent President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, through political disorder, which means anarchy.

The UNP leader maintained that the term of office of the incumbent President ends in December this year and the people should be given the opportunity to elect a new leader by then.

The Jana Bala Meheyuma began on July 2 from Devinuwara ended yesterday with the peoples' march coming to Colombo yesterday.

Addressing the gathering at the Colombo Municipal Council Grounds at the closure of the`Jana Bala Meheyuma' Wickremesinghe said that the role of the Election Commissioner was to announce the date for next Presidential election between October to November.

He further said that according to the Sri Lanka Constitution the President ends her term by the end of this year completing six years and Sri Lankan electorate has to go for election.

"There is no need to consult on this issue as it is very clearly laid down. We just have to follow the Constitution.The power is with the people and it is they who have right to call for elections and we will fight to ensure that right", he said.

According to a Reuter report only an estimated 100,000 attended the Jana Bala Meheyuma when the UNP publicly announced that one million would participate.

Excellent security was provided by the Police led by DIG Colombo Pujitha Jayasundera and DIG Sirisena Herath and no incidents were reported. Meanwhile the Law Students' Organization of Sri Lanka Freedom Party, in a media release yesterday pointed out that according to article 31 (3), and 3 A (a)1 under the 3rd amendment to the Constitution, the term of office of the present President began in December 1999 and will end in November 2006.

It further pointed out that this position is clearer when you read article 31(3A) read with D1 where it states that if the person elected as President at a Presidential Election, is the same person who is functioning in that position at the time of such election, that person's term of office begins on the corresponding date of the commencement of the position of Presidency or on the corresponding date of the following year which ever occurs first.

It further stated that any dispute on this position is subject to a final ruling by the Supreme Court.