A group of MPs has extended conditional support for an extension of the president’s term via a referendum.
They want their parliamentary term too, extended likewise in order to ensure that the many first-timers among them get a pension, reports ‘Irida Mawbima’.
Such an agreement will lead to a majority of MPs supporting a referendum to extend the president’s term.
The newspaper reveals a government plan to go for a referendum early next month.
It further reports that legal experts have been consulted to seek alternatives in the event a referendum is challenged before the Supreme Court.
Two discussions in that regard have taken place at the election operations committee at the Presidential Secretariat and at Waters Edge at Battaramulla.
Nearly 30 Tamil and Muslim MPs in present parliament are yet to declare their stand on a referendum.
The opposition has objected to the idea, with the NPP already saying that it would be challenged before courts.
