The Hindu : Sri Lankan Parliament dissolved

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 08, 2004

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Sri Lankan Parliament dissolved

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO, FEB. 7. The Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, today issued orders for the dissolution of the island-nation's 225-member Parliament, paving the way for fresh general elections, to be held on April 2.

The order dissolving Parliament was sent to the Government printer late tonight. The gazette notification was being printed when reports last came in. The date for the new parliament has been fixed as April 22, and nominations for elections will be received between February 17 and 24.

The dissolution of Parliament brings to an end one phase of uncertainty. Since the United National Front won elections in December 2001, a bitter struggle had been on between Ms. Kumaratunga, who is vested with vast executive powers, and the Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The struggle saw the ruling United National Front unsuccessfully trying to curb the President's powers to dissolve Parliament. Under the Constitution, the President can dissolve Parliament anytime after it completes one year. That deadline passed on December 5, 2002, and the uncertainty that had prevailed since then was brought to an end tonight.

The dissolution was preceded by calls by the President for a broad national consensus. After Ms. Kumaratunga constitutionally took over the Defence and two other Ministries on November 4, a team of officials had been working on ways in which the two leaders could work together. Mr. Wickremesinghe subsequently abdicated responsibility for the peace process and said he would not be able to hold responsibility without authority. The President's offer for a Peace Council was described by Mr. Wickremesinghe's Cabinet as "inadequate."

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, describing the political standoff as an "absurd drama," has said that it would talk to anyone who "had a mandate" and "recognised the aspirations of the Tamils."

The handling of the peace process by Mr. Wickremesinghe and the cost of living are likely to emerge as campaign points in the coming elections.

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