Recourse to Court action on election date challenged

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 August 2005, 17:11 GMT]
The main opposition United National Party (UNP) Wednesday announced that incumbent President has no authority to seek the Supreme Court its determination on fixing the date for the next Presidential election, political sources in Colombo said.

The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), the all monks party, Wednesday filed a petition in the Supreme Court to order the Commissioner of Elections to fix the date for the Presidential Elections between October 22 and November 22 according to the constitutional powers vested in him, legal sources said.

The UNP said that Elections Commissioner is empowered by the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka to declare the date of the next Presidential election. The incumbent President who is currently serving her second and final term has no authority to seek the Supreme Court to determine the constitutionality in the controversy. The President has violated the Constitution in this regard, legal sources said.

Meanwhile Mr.Dayananda Dissanayake, Commissioner of Elections in an interview to a private radio and TV channel Wednesday said he has to wait to announce his decision in the controversy as the President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge has sought the Supreme Court to determine the constitutionality in the issue, sources said

" I have been informed that the President has sought clarification from the Supreme Court in this controversy. Till SC determines I have to wait to announce my decision," said Mr.Dayananda Dissanayake, according to a private radio and TV channel.