On reference made by President Maithripala Sirisena, Chief Justice Priyasath Dep appointed a five-judge bench to decide whether the President’s term is five or six years.
President Maithripala Sirisena sought the Supreme Court’s opinion if he could be the president for six years.
The request was made while contradicting the amendment he introduced to reduce the presidential term to five years.
He spearheaded the 19th amendment (19A) to the Constitution in 2015 to reduce the presidential term from six to five years.
The president’s term should end in 2020, but Sirisena has sought the Supreme Court’s opinion if he could continue until 2021.
The Registrar of the Supreme Court yesterday informed the members of legal fraternity that the consideration by the apex Court has been listed for January 11, officials said.
