MR seeks SC opinion on third term

President Mahinda Rajapaksa today sought the Supreme Court’s opinion on the constitutionality to contest for a third term under the 18th Amendment to the Constitution.

The Supreme Court is expected to submit it opinion to the President by November 10.

The matter was taken up before a seven-judge bench and the Sri Lanka Bar Association was asked to inform its membership to file written submissions by 3.00 p.m. on Friday (7).  

 The reference sent to the Supreme Court is as follows:

(a) Whether in terms of Article 31 (3A) (a) (1) of the Constitution, as amended by the 18th Amendment, I as the incumbent President, serving my second term of office as President, have any impediment, after the expiration of four years from the date of commencement of my second term of office as President on November 19, 2010, to declare by Proclamation my intention of appealing to People for a mandate to hold office as President by election, for a future term.

(b) Whether in terms of the provisions of the Constitution, as amended by the 18th Amendment, I, as the incumbent President, serving my second term of office as President, and was functioning as such on the date of the 18th Amendment was enacted, have any impediment to be elected for a further term of office”.