The Sri Lanka Election Commission announced on July 19 that the date for the presidential election will be revealed next week. This comes following a new gazette issued by President Ranil Wickremesinghe on July 18, 2024, concerning a constitutional amendment regarding the extension of the President’s term of office or the duration of Parliament. The proposed Bill seeks to change the existing provision from “over six years” to “over five years.”
Chairman of the Election Commission, R.M.A.L. Rathnayake, confirmed that the gazette does not impact the upcoming presidential election scheduled to take place between September 17 and October 16 this year. Constitutional experts also clarified that the gazette is unrelated to the election and does not affect the current presidential term limit, which has been established as five years by previous Supreme Court rulings.
President Wickremesinghe has assured that the elections will proceed as planned, emphasizing his commitment to upholding Sri Lanka’s democratic principles. However, critics have raised concerns about the timing of the gazette, with some questioning its necessity and potential impact on the electoral process. Opposition legislator M.A. Sumanthiran expressed skepticism about the Bill, stating that it could create confusion and complicate the election process.
The ‘Lawyers’ Collective’ has denounced the proposed Bill as an attempt to manipulate the electoral process, emphasizing that there is no urgency in changing the upper limit of presidential and parliamentary terms. The ongoing debate surrounding the gazette and its implications adds to the political uncertainty in Sri Lanka ahead of the upcoming presidential election.
