The Executive Presidency should be abolished immediately following the path indicated by Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera, said Karu Jayasuriya.
The former speaker, who is also the chairman of the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ), requested the entire nation to come forward to take immediate steps to abolish the executive presidential system.
Issuing a statement, he further said;
"We emphasise to the Government to take steps to abolish the executive presidential system before the next presidential election, constitutionally.
If there is any time-related barrier for that, we request the Government to give assurance to the country that the presidential election to be held in 2024 will be the last presidential election in the country.
Ven. Sobhitha Thera, who did not approve of subjecting the destiny of 22 million people of the country to the power of one person through the arbitrary powers contained in the executive presidential system, was always of the view that the exercise of the people's sovereign power through the Parliament would be more democratic and civilised.
In consideration of the efforts made to further develop the Executive President's power to an unlimited extent through the 18th and 20th Amendments to the Constitution, it is clear that the efforts to keep the executive presidency, and limit its powers through the 17th and 19th Amendments cannot be sustained.
Therefore, according to the promise that the main political currents have been making for a long time, it has become a must for all relevant parties to work for the abolition of the office of the Executive President.
We are worried about the lack of action by political leaders to abolish the executive presidential system despite their promises to do so following the passing away of Sobhitha Thera.
Had it been done then, we feel that we, as a country, could have avoided the economic and political bankruptcy. Therefore, we emphasise again and again that there should be no further delay in abolishing the established executive presidential system.
The abolishing of such will fulfill the wishes of Ven. Sobhitha Thera, and ignite expectations about the well-being of the country."
