No change of plans on scheduled Presidential polls later this year: Govt

President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena today declared that plans to hold the Presidential elections this year has not been changed.

President Wickremesinghe at a programme today said that financial provisions for the conduct of the Presidential elections have already been allocated while Prime Minister Gunawardena said that the Presidential elections will go ahead as scheduled later this year.

He said the Election Commission has said presidential elections will be held between Sept. 17 and Oct. 16 and the government position was the same.

The remarks came, a day after United National Party General  Secretary Palitha Range Bandara’s proposed to postpone, both Presidential and Parliamentary elections for  two years followed by a referendum.

The remarks by Mr Range Bandara has drawn heavy criticism from the opposition while his own party members have disassociated themselves with the statement.

The former Chairman of the Election Commission Mahinda Deshapriya said the statement by the UNP General Secretary was something not realistic. He said it would need an approval with a two thirds majority in Parliament followed by approval from the Supreme court and a referendum.

He said, even if those process go through, it would be defeated by the people.

Former UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake said that presidential elections will go ahead as scheduled later this year.

UNP Trade Union Leader Saman Rathnapriya said that the party has not taken a decision about delaying presidential elections.

Several other opposition MP including Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Eran Wickremaratne, Udaya Gammanpila too condemned the statement made by Mr Range Bandara.

Mr Range Bandara addressing a press conference yesterday said that the priority at this moment is debt restructuring and obtaining the facilities from the IMF and it is President Wickremesinghe who has the knowledge and international relations to achieve that. He said therefore it is necessary for the Parliament to pass a resolution to delay the elections by two years and thereafter it could be reconfirmed by a referendum.