(Lanka-e-News- 16.June.2015, 11.45PM) The draft of the most crucial and decisive 20 th amendment to the constitution aimed at changing the electoral system which decides the destiny of the country has been prepared not by the president or parliament or by individuals officially appointed or by a committee or commission , but rather by a group affiliated to the JHU which party polled a meager 150,000 votes approximately, and by some individuals at the periphery of the SLFP, after holding some meetings in ‘dusty attics’ and ‘dark corridors.’
These meetings have neither been attended by representatives of the minorities and their parties nor by representative groups of minor parties .
With a view to delaying the 19 th amendment , in mid February the SLFP slaves and minions declared that support for the 19 th amendment will be extended only if the 20 th amendment is also given support , and while insisting on that the 20 th amendment was put forward . However , neither the president nor the parliament appointed an official committee duly to prepare its draft or to propose a new electoral system.
The opposition had not signed even the earlier report of Dinesh : late Jeyaraj too had resisted.
Initially , the SLFP slaves and minions had used the report of the parliament sub committee headed by Dinesh Gunawardena several years ago appointed by the parliament to change the electoral system.
Though this final report was prepared after lengthy discussions at meetings participated by party representatives , none of the parties of the opposition signed it. Even late Jeyaraj Fernandopulle of the sub committee representing the government at that time refused to sign it.
The reason cited by him for his refusal was : Dinesh Gunawardena sub committee report electoral system is disadvantageous to minority sections. The JVP that represented the opposition during that period too refused to sign the report though they participated in the meetings. In other words , it is only the UPFA government party that signed Dinesh’s sub committee report .
The SLFP slaves and minions last February brought forward again proposals based on that report .
Meanwhile the JHU held several meetings in dusty and dark ‘attics’ to discuss the electoral system change .These meetings were held by their own group of members according to their own whims and fancies without any proper members being appointed. Among those who took part in the meetings frequently were : Dr. Sujatha Gamage wife of Professor Rohan Samarajeewa , Asoka Peiris of the administration service , Dr. Sudantha Liyanage and Asoka Abeygunawardena .
It is worthy of note that in this group , there wasn’t a single legal expert .A strange and queer individual had participated several times as a representative of the minority communities. He is C. A. Vigneshwaran , who had arrived from abroad . He was the secretary some time ago to ex chief minister Pillayan .He is a secretary who not only robbed vehicles but even changed the color of the vehicles within a night.
This group while they were meeting inside ‘attics’ , had also from time to time holding meetings in the parliamentary complex with the participation of elections commissioner , prime minister , opposition leader, Dinesh Gunawardena , Karu Jayasuriya , the JVP and various other party leaders , but never did all of them participate at the same time. At all events that was not a sub committee specifically appointed by the parliament. These meetings were from time to time attended by political party leaders like Thilanga Sumathipala, G L Peiris, Rajeewa , Lasantha, Dilan perera ,Susil, Chandima and others who had no connection with it . These were confused meetings. In any case even these meetings were attended by less than ten participants. The proposals of elections commissioner have been presented at these meetings.
Meanwhile, Asoka Abeywardena a participant of the ‘attic’ meetings brought in as a proposal , that the present system in New Zealand in its entirety be introduced to SL. These proposals were presented as 20 th amendment for the first time to the cabinet through the president. In this connection no discussions were had with minor parties specifically. Neither have they .discussed with the elections commissioner and arrived at a consensus.
Mendacious Rajitha yet again lies as cabinet spokesman
It was proposed at the preliminary session by the UNP , that the number of seats shall remain as 225 without changing. However the minority parties did not agree with this.
Later on ,when the cabinet met on the 12 th again ,the SLFP proposed that the number of seats shall be raised to 237, to which the UNP and the minority parties did not consent . However Rajitha Senaratne the cabinet spokesman who is characterized by an overriding trait of mendacity , distorted the true picture and told the media , the cabinet decided that the number of seats shall be 237, and that shall be gazetted, while such a decision was never taken , and that was only a proposal.
Lies , distortions and deceptions apart ,no official intellectual team has been appointed and proposals formulated which can decide upon a most vital and crucial issue -the destiny of a country .In other words , this much talked about 20 th amendment is of illegitimate birth.
It is not only of illegitimate birth , it is a tangle like a ball of twine. Advanced and civilized individuals introduce well prepared systems that would be relieving to the people , whereas these frogs in the well that took decisions at meetings within dusty attics have produced a meaningless thoughtless system.
It is a well and widely acknowledged fact that JHU is a notorious blindly extremist group which cannot see or think anything beyond maniacal racism . When such a party formulates an ‘illegitimate by birth’ constitutional amendment after holding ‘attic meetings’ without taking into consideration the views of the minority parties in the country , such proposals can only create more issues rather than resolving them, and sadly ,that is exactly what had happened.
The electoral system cannot be changed to suit the stupidity and idiocy of the extremists just because they ingratiated themselves into the favor of president Maithripala to take him down the garden path . The system acceptable to all must be formulated duly with the consent of all the parties after appointing a transparent parliamentary sub committee .Through that committee after inviting suggestions and advice of intellectuals, past elections commissioners , recognized security top brass , and based on those proposals , following discussions held among party leaders , the electoral reforms shall be introduced.
Though a new electoral system is being attempted to be proposed in an unholy haste , the next elections is not going to be held in accordance with that . Hence , the new electoral system that is formulated based on the lines proposed in the foregoing paragraphs shall preferably be tabled in the new parliament . This will be most salutary in the best interests of all. In the circumstances , what the president should do if he sincerely has the interests of the people and the country at heart , dissolve the present moth eaten parliament immediately before its stench further intensifies, and go for elections.
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by (2015-06-17 00:58:42)
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