UNP meets Election Commissioner with one million signatures

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 August 2005, 06:14 GMT]
Mr.Karu Jayasuriya, Deputy Leader of the Sri Lanka's main oppostion United National Party, handed over a memorandum to Sri Lanka's Commissioner of Elections Mr.Dayananda Dissanayake Wednesday evening with more than one million signatures demanding that the next presidential election should be held before the end of this year. Election Commissioner has told the UNP deputy that he would inform his decision on the date of the next presidential election at the appropriate time after the five member bench of the Supreme Court deliver its order on the controversy which has been fixed for Friday.

Election Commissioner discussed with the UNP delegation the presidential election controversy for about fifteen minutes.

Mr.Dissanayake said that he would discharge his duties according to the powers vested with him by the constitution and would not act in contrary to the constitution, he had told the UNP deputy.

Mr.Karu Jayasuriya later told press persons that the Commissioner had given an assurance that he would not act against the sovereignty of the people.

A delegation led by Mr.Karu Jayasuriya, and comprised Mr.N.K.Weragoda, General Secretary, Mr.Tissa Attanayake, Assistant Secretary and parliamentarians Messrs Gamini Lokuge, A.R.M.A.Cader, Vajira Abeyawardene, Bandula Gunawardene, Gamini Jayawickrema Perera, John Amarathunge participated in the event that took place in the office of the Election Commission which is located in Rajagiriya in Colombo. Heavy security was provided to the office and its vicinity, sources said.