Legal luminaries, prominent members of the Maha Sangha, Hindu and Muslim clergy, leaders of social organizations, intellectuals and various societal reference groups, yesterday blamed MPs for not realizing sovereignty of the people and holding an election as soon as possible to exercise that sovereignty at this critical juncture of political unrest in the country.
Members of the clergy said the government should come from the people, by the people and for the people, and not by voice votes of an unruly House where the Speaker, instead of acting on the basis of the Constitution and Standing Orders in Parliament, is acting to the interest of a political party that he is a part of.
A top legal luminary said the alarming levels of present day violence in Parliament are the result of the Speaker defying and interpreting the Presidential decrees. He was in no position and it was not his duty or prerogative to challenge or interpret the President’s powers to appoint a Prime Minister and a Cabinet.
Asked about the recent interim order issued by the Supreme Court suspending the President’s gazette to dissolve Parliament, he said he prefers to keep away from it prematurely because the case concerned has not been concluded yet.
We asked a legal expert if the Interim Order in focus did not give rise to chaos in Parliament. He said, “This is what Supreme Court had to do when they saw a sign of a case to be heard. It does not implicate that the dissolution of Parliament was unlawful.”
“Had the Speaker adjourned Parliament until the Supreme Court gives its final determination about it as per dates fixed for the case hearings, so much trouble could have been avoided,” he said.
On being pointed out that the UNP were saying they have the majority to remain in power, he said, “ It was misleading to say so because it is the UNP, the JVP and the TNA put together.”
JVP MP Bimal Ratnayaka yesterday said at a TV political interview, that the UNP leadership has paid millions of dollars to some Parliamentarians not to cross over to the Maithripala - Mahinda Rajapaksa government.
“In this context one could say that the sovereignty of the people is hardly represented in Sri Lankan Parliament as at present,” he said.
“It is the duty of the UNP to come forward and support holding an election because that way they can prove their worth before the public, than before a partisan Speaker,” he added.