President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has firmly rejected speculation that the government will postpone upcoming national elections, while assuring that the proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution will proceed once the Supreme Court delivers its determination.
Addressing a public gathering in Bulathsinhala today (06), President Dissanayake said the government would not reverse decisions taken in what it considers to be the interests of the people, despite opposition to the proposed constitutional and legal reforms.
He said a number of petitions challenging the proposed 22nd Amendment are currently before the Supreme Court and that a determination is expected shortly. Once the court delivers its decision, the government intends to present the amendment to Parliament and proceed with the necessary parliamentary process.
The President stressed that the proposed amendment would not be abandoned under any circumstances, maintaining that the government would continue with its reform agenda despite criticism from opposition groups.
President Rejects Claims of Election Postponement
President Dissanayake also strongly dismissed allegations that the government is preparing to postpone the presidential election and hold a referendum instead.
He assured the public that there was no intention to delay the presidential election and said both the presidential and parliamentary elections would be conducted according to the constitutional timetable.
Responding to claims made by some opposition groups, the President argued that there was no political reason for the government to use a referendum as a means of postponing an election.
He said a referendum would effectively divide the public into two opposing camps, while a presidential election would see voters divided among several competing political groups.
“People with even a basic understanding of politics know that referendums are not introduced to postpone elections,” he said.
According to President Dissanayake, if the government attempted to use a referendum to delay an election, opposition parties and groups that normally compete against each other could unite to oppose the move.
He claimed that a presidential election, by contrast, would make such a common opposition front less likely because each political group would be focused on winning the presidency.
Presidential and Parliamentary Elections to Be Held as Scheduled
The President reiterated that the government has no intention of postponing either the presidential or parliamentary elections.
He urged the general public not to be influenced by speculation regarding the government's intentions and said the administration was prepared to face the electorate.
“We are not afraid of the people. We are coming before the people,” President Dissanayake said.
His comments come amid ongoing political debate over constitutional reforms and the timing of Sri Lanka's next national elections.
Provincial Council Elections Also Promised
President Dissanayake also addressed the long-delayed provincial council elections, saying they would be held as soon as the existing legal obstacle preventing the elections from taking place is removed.
The government therefore faces pressure on several fronts to resolve the legal and administrative issues surrounding provincial council elections while simultaneously preparing for the next national electoral cycle.
Government Signals Continued Reform Agenda
In addition to constitutional reform and elections, President Dissanayake emphasized the government's commitment to tackling corruption.
He said action must be taken against individuals responsible for corruption and argued that such measures are essential to dismantling what he described as an entrenched corrupt state system.
