Rajapaksa's second term begins from November 2010: SL Supreme Court

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 February 2010, 14:36 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court on Tuesday determined that the second term of the Mahinda Rajapaksa, as president of the country, begins from November 19, 2010 and not from November 19, 2011, according to a communiqué sent to the Presidential Secretariat, legal sources said.

A seven judge Bench of the Supreme Court comprised the Chief Justice Asoka de Silva, Justices Shiranee Bandaranaike, Jagath Balapatebendige, K.Sripavan, P.A.Ratnaike, Chandra Ekanayake and S.I.Imam on Monday took up the reference made by president elect Mahinda Rajapaksa seeking the opinion on the question as to when his second term of office as President would start and end. Its determination was sent to Presidential Secretariat Tuesday.

Attorney General Mohan Peiris with Deputy Solicitor General Jayantha Jayasuriya and Senior State Counsel Nerin Pulle and A.H.M.D.Nawaz maintained that the date the President has to assume office as being November 19, 2010.