The Interim Order issued by the Supreme Court with regard to the dissolution of Parliament has no effect whatsoever on the appointment of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers, it was stressed yesterday at a news conference convened by several leading members of the Government.
“The stay order does not pose any challenge to the appointment and authority of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and other ministers,” Megapolis and Western Province Development Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said. He said this was only a temporary injunction and the Supreme Court would only deliver the final verdict on the dissolution on December 7 after hearing further submissions from December 4 to 6. This was the usual practice for this type of petition, he pointed out.
Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva said they would explore the possibility of seeking a full Bench of the Supreme Court for further hearings. The Stay Order was issued by a three-Judge Bench headed by the Chief Justice.
Housing and Construction Minister Wimal Weerawansa said only the President has the power to reconvene Parliament, although Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has made statements to the contrary. Thus he has no power to reconvene Parliament today (14), he said. Moreover, the power of appointing the Prime Minister and the Ministers lies with the President, not with the Speaker. “This is the first time in global history that an opposition party is rejecting elections and going before the Courts. They have already proved that the people are not with them. Showing a majority in Parliament does not equate to having a popular mandate. Attempts are being made with the help of certain countries to show that there is anarchy in Sri Lanka.”
Minister Gunawardena clarified that the Stay Order has not nullified the General Election as wrongly believed by many. There is only a Stay Order on the election given until the final ruling is delivered on December 7. “Both President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Rajapaksa would strive to obtain a bigger mandate from the people at the forthcoming election,” he added.
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