Former Chief Justice Sarath N.Silva charged today that the incumbent President has acted in contravention of, not only a single Article but several Chapters of the Constitution.
He gave examples of the allegations saying the President has failed to appoint the Constitution Council as well as other independent commissions and also make appointments to several high positions in contravention of the Constitution.
He cited the appointment of the Chief Justice and appointments of judges of the Supreme Court, the Attorney General, the Auditor General and the IGP as instances where the Constitution has been violated.
Justice Silva was speaking at the launch of the website Dare to Dream by MP Mangala Samaraweera in Colombo on Tuesday evening.
The former Chief Justice said that the President , blissfully disregarding the[plethora of brazen violations of the Constitution has in a sense of exuberance acting on the 3rd Amendment to the Constitution declared his intention to seek a mandate from the people prematurely to hold office for a further period.
“A serious question would arise if he is re-elected to office. Is he going to take the oath of office as required by Article 32 (1) of the Constitution before the Chief Justice whom he appointed in breach of Article 41 C read with Article 107 of the Constitution solemnly declaring that he would faithfully perform the duties and discharge the functions of the office of President in accordance with the Constitution and that he will uphold and defend the Constitution? Or run true to form and simply declare,”I have in my first term of office functioned in breach of the Constitution, people have re-elected me and I will continue to violate the Constitution,” he queried.
ST
He gave examples of the allegations saying the President has failed to appoint the Constitution Council as well as other independent commissions and also make appointments to several high positions in contravention of the Constitution.
He cited the appointment of the Chief Justice and appointments of judges of the Supreme Court, the Attorney General, the Auditor General and the IGP as instances where the Constitution has been violated.
Justice Silva was speaking at the launch of the website Dare to Dream by MP Mangala Samaraweera in Colombo on Tuesday evening.
The former Chief Justice said that the President , blissfully disregarding the[plethora of brazen violations of the Constitution has in a sense of exuberance acting on the 3rd Amendment to the Constitution declared his intention to seek a mandate from the people prematurely to hold office for a further period.
“A serious question would arise if he is re-elected to office. Is he going to take the oath of office as required by Article 32 (1) of the Constitution before the Chief Justice whom he appointed in breach of Article 41 C read with Article 107 of the Constitution solemnly declaring that he would faithfully perform the duties and discharge the functions of the office of President in accordance with the Constitution and that he will uphold and defend the Constitution? Or run true to form and simply declare,”I have in my first term of office functioned in breach of the Constitution, people have re-elected me and I will continue to violate the Constitution,” he queried.
ST
