If Cabinet increased to 45 -- Prez must seek AG's advice: SLPP

26 December 2018 06:11 pm

In case the UNP forms a national government with the SLMC so as to increase the number of Cabinet ministers to 45, then the President will have to seek the Attorney General’s opinion to consider what action to take next, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) said today.

The SLPP said it was unethical to form a national government with the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) which has one elected MP in an effort to increase the number of Cabinet ministers to 45.

“If the UNP carries out this ploy, it will be the people who will go the courts against such a Cabinet. There is no point in having 45 ministers just for eight months,” MP Lakshman Yapa Abeywardane said.

He said only the two main political parties could form a national alliance but said even that was unnecessary at this moment.

“All these attempts are to please MPs who are joining the government and to retain them. We won’t allow the unethical increase of the number of ministers,” he said.

Meanwhile, he said it was not practical to hold the presidential election, the general election and the elections to the provincial councils on a single day.

“The next presidential election will not be held until the early 2020 and as such it was too late for the PC elections,” he said. (Lahiru Pothmulla)