Election Commission Chairman will abide by Gazette | Sunday Observer

Election Commission Chairman will abide by Gazette

11 November, 2018

Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya yesterday denied web media reports, that he would wait for the Supreme Court’s opinion on the legality of the dissolution of Parliament before proceeding with preparations for a General Election.

He had informed a group of former United National Party (UNP) parliamentarians yesterday that he will abide by the Gazette notice issued by the President and act accordingly.

Following the web reports, Deshapriya posting an update on his personal Facebook page said the particular news website concerned had neither contacted him nor had he contacted them to give a comment of any sort.

Several websites indicating that the dissolution of Parliament by the President was unconstitutional cited the particular news which had originated in the said website.

The UNP group comprising former MPs including Ravi Karunanayake, Ajith P. Perera, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Vajira Abeywardena, Gayantha Karunatilleke, Dr. Harsha de Silva and Rajitha Senaratne met the Election Commission members to lodge a protest over the dissolution of Parliament and calling for elections. Election Commission sources said the chairman told the group that

he was governed by the Gazette notice and they had no powers to challenge it in a court of law.

Former Speaker V.J.M. Lokubandara when contacted by the Sunday Observer said that once Parliament is dissolved, there was nothing else to do than go for elections.

“The President has powers vested in him under the Constitution to dissolve Parliament even before four-and-a-half-years,” he said, adding that the19th Amendment did not replace the powers vested in the President to dissolve Parliament under extraordinary circumstances.

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