Champika says Prez not in a position to dissolve Parliament early

United Republic Front leader MP Patali Champika Ranawaka on Sunday said that President Ranil Wickremesinghe was not in a position to dissolve Parliament even if a resolution was passed with 113 votes of MPs in Parliament to that effect.

Addressing a ceremony held to open a URF office in Matara, Ranawaka said that the incumbent President was not a President elected by the people; he had been appointed to complete the remaining term of the previous President. This is the mandate given to him when he was appointed. He had not been given a mandate to dissolve Parliament to go for a general election.

In addition, dissolving Parliament would have a direct impact on the economic recovery programme. For example, on coming Wednesday (22), a new Act, comprising conditions by the IMF, is to be passed in Parliament. In the coming June, the IMF members are to meet to review the progress made by Sri Lanka to consider the third tranche of its bailout package to Sri Lanka. With that Sri Lanka would be entitled to receive grants from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. The President will have to achieve these targets and for that there should be a functioning Parliament,” Ranawaka said.