Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe resisted multiple entreaties to amend the Presidential Elections Act in a way that would empower the Elections Commission to reject the nomination papers of any candidate who held citizenship in a foreign country, Colombo Telegraph can now reveal.
The crucial amendment to the Presidential Elections Act has been ready in draft form for nearly 18 months now, but Wickremesinghe has deliberately pushed the issue to the backburner.
The bill to amend the Presidential Elections Act never made it to the cabinet of ministers for approval. Before the October 2018 political crisis the draft amendment was sent to the Legal Draftsman but Wickremesinghe blocked the bill from getting to cabinet despite appeals from several ministers and even President Maithripala Sirisena.
Wickremesinghe initially blamed the delay on the President, telling UNP ministers Sirisena would never agree to the amendment. However, once the seriousness of the matter was brought to the attention of the President he urged Wickremesinghe in the presence of several UNP ministers to bring the bill before cabinet and get it passed as soon as possible. At the time witnesses say Wickremesinghe made an excuse to delay and said he would appoint a committee to study the matter.
Wickremesinghe’s blatant refusal to put safety measures in place to block the Gotabaya candidacy made President Sirisena extremely jittery Paget Road insiders said. It may even have hastened his decision to join hands with the Rajapaksas and try to pull off a coup a few months later.
Just months ago fresh efforts were launched to push Wickremesinghe into bringing the draft amendment to cabinet and getting it through Parliament. Wickremesinghe stonewalled the effort again.
For reasons best known to the Prime Minister he resisted every effort on different pretexts.
When UNP ministers urged the Prime Minister to revoke Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s dual citizenship status since he was accused of embezzling state funds, under investigation for money laundering, bribery, gun running and leading a death squad that targeted journalists and political opponents, Wickremesinghe refused again.
With new revelations made about Wickremesinghe’s pact with former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa the reasons have become clearer.
In the event Rajapaksa failed to renounce his US citizenship in time the Prime Minister was laying the groundwork to enable him to contest anyway.
Unless the Presidential Elections Act is amended ahead of the poll, any challenge against a dual citizen handing in nomination papers would have to be posed post-election as a petition in the Supreme Court.
The Amendment would have given the Commission teeth to reject an application by a dual citizen trying to stand for election outright, and even subject the person to punitive action.
Without the amendment, had Gotabaya Rajapaksa handed in his nomination papers while still being a US citizen, the Commission may have told any one raising objections to file a petition in the Supreme Court to challenge the issue, as it was in the Geetha Kumarasinghe dual citizenship case.
In fact sources close to the former Defence Secretary told Colombo Telegraph that when Rajapaksa’s lawyers wondered about the wisdom of renouncing US citizenship given the number of corruption and violence cases he was facing in Colombo, he was provided assurances at the highest levels that he would not need to do so to contest the presidency.
Ishini Wickremesinghe who is on the Prime Minister’s staff assured Gota backer and Derana owner Dilith Jayaweera that her uncle would ensure the Presidential Elections Act would not be amended which would mean Rajapaksa could contest without renouncing his American citizenship.
Meanwhile,investigations are likely into how the former Defence Secretary obtained a new passport and National ID card, without meeting the necessary requirements.
Investigators are likely to uncover a trail of evidence that will likely be a pointer to high level political interference Colombo Telegraph learns.
Since Gotabaya Rajapaksa obtained his passport after hours and managed to get a new travel document that does not have any travel restrictions even though he is currently on trial at the Permanent High Court At Bar in the D.A. Rajapaksa museum case and is currently under a travel ban the probability is high that intervention took place politically to assist the ex defence secretary in his endeavour.
The question now remains how many laws Rajapaksa broke in the process and who in the upper echelons of the ruling Government helped him to break them.
Recent revelations about who helped Rajapaksa to obtain a new travel document under the radar have caused widespread panic at the levels of infiltration the former ruling family has managed in both major power centers currently running affairs in the country. (By TB Bambaradeniya)
Shyamon Jayasinghe / August 7, 2019
The writer states that Ranil avoided amendments to the Prez elections law. It is also stated that the reasons for that avoidance is ‘revealed.’ A revelation can come from Ranil himself, a responsible Minister or a document that is discovered. None off these have happened. Hence, we cannot say ‘revealed.’ The most one can say is that the writer reveals and this, technically, menas nothing more than the writer’s personal view. The writer hasn’t given any REASONS for what he alleges as Ranil’s motivation to help Gota in power. I cannot see any sensible and plausible motivation for Ranil to do that. Only a lunatic acts without motive.
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Mallaiyuran / August 7, 2019
“Hence, we cannot say ‘revealed.’ ”
Good catch Shyamon Jayasinghe!
But let me ask you a question; is that your point that this Hard Copy evidence argument is going to help the Nariya to become a neat Gentleman? Can you list what kind of proofs so far you have listed in CT for all the accusations you made on Old Royals? Is that means all Old Royals are honest Gentlemen like you Nariya? First get out of you cocoon and see the bright world where sun shines.
Yes the writer did not produce a hard evidence of Ranil accepting this in court of law.
But can you read back and see your comment what kind of hard evidence you have provided to deny writer’s claim?
Jan 9th, 2015 Morning Ranil was in Temple Tree house loading the trucks to Medamulana with Old Royals golds, while Old King was running behind his slippers. Readers in CT survive with their common sense. We don’t need your hard evidence to prove it. Thanks.
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Good Sense / August 7, 2019
Yes Shyamon! You are very correct. All of a sudden there is an attack against Ranil too and that is unsubstantiated. The story appears to be thriller. Of course, in politics there are all kinds of understandings between rivals. But I need to sharpen my eyes and ears as to why Ranil too is in the firing line after all these years. Not that I agree with everything what Ranil says and does but one must be fair to others.
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PARAGON / August 7, 2019
RANIL IN HIS POLITICAL CARRIER OVER 45 YEARS DID SO MANY UNDER HAND THINGS TO STAY AS A LEADER OF UNP .HE MUST THANKS LTTE FOR KILLING PREAMADASA AND GAMINI DISSANAJAKE.ALSO MUST THANK SOTHI UPALI FOR KILLING LALITH ATHULATHMUDALI.HE GOT THIS LEADER SHIP BY ACCIDENT.HE GOT KARUNAAMMAN TO BREAK AWAY THROUGH ALISAKILI MOULANA.AT THE END MAHINDA USED KARUNA AND GOT CREDIT FOR HIMSELF.During the last four years he promised sun and the moon to TNA AND SAMPANTHAR.now TAN will have to look up at the sun and the moon to look for support at the next election.IF SAJITH IS ELECTED AS PRESIDENT RANIL will not be able to work under SAJIH as he is not able to work under MY3.IF SAJITH ELECTED HE HAS TO DEPEND ON SOME BODY AS MY3 IS TKAEN FOR RAID BY SRI-LAL.RANIL IS GOING TO MEET HIS WATERLOO AT KEASLWATTA.VERY BLEAK FUTURE FOR SRI-LANAK UNDER GOTHA OR SAJITH.
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Kugan / August 7, 2019
Old king knows why he was defeated in 2015; he wouldn’t allow people to unite at that time all stick together as Sir Lankans for the sake of country.
Now it’s all under him with saffrons ,he got media that’s work for him,there us no choice
Garbage of containers,can’t send them back either,drugs lords in Dubai,clashes in uni,,
Sinhala masses should wake up from foolishness
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Mallaiyuran / August 7, 2019
India captured Kashmir not because anything special happened in Kashmir or Pakistan; not because BJP-RSS’s taking a new cause; not even the explanation given by the Congress Parliamentarians, who bankrupted India five years to, that is “Indian economy is in quagmire; Mr. Modi is trying to hide the situation”. Real reason is Mr. Modi is highly worried about Lankawe’s situations. That is what provoked him to go for this action. Remember when Mrs. Gandhi was liberating Bangladesh, what happened in Western India? (Latter, we will come back to that question)
Lankawe Politicians are not worried about super powers fighting a WWII on the soil of Ceylon. Or in more- better terms, they may prefer that war as a safeguarding action of War Criminals from UNHRC. Lankaweyan’s Aappa Diplomacy technique to solve problems is, if there is a perplexing or intertwined problem, they minimize the feeling of its pain of it by creating more strenuous one. Solomon and Don who took over Ceylon from British hand, for their inability to rule the country, sow the racial divisions and turned the Sinhala Buddhist Modayas attention in wrong direction. Now the safety of the land and the people of Lankawe cannot be guaranteed even if Buddha flies back.
Now Mr. Modi knows that, unavoidably, he will have to do his part of fighting in Lankawe, hand in hand with other super powers, like China, US, Japan, Russia, OIC, NATO…….., when the fire appears on the white screen. In that preparation, he wants to have the Indian problems put in the rice pot and tightly closed the lid.
It is possible, in his last, few hours trip to Lankawe, PM Modi might have indicated to Ranil his intention of capitating Kashmir. Unlike the way he behaved with Ambas, Athol Keshap, Ranil would have voluntarily noted his head. The reason for it is, India supports Lankawe war Crimes while West Opposes it.
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Mallaiyuran / August 7, 2019
During the Indian election rush, India informed Lankawe Presidential unit that an imminent ISIS attack is about happen in Lankawe. The reaction from Lankawe was completely unexpected to Modi. It is known now for years that Lankan Muslim Patriotic war heroes have been fighting in Syria to establish the Caliphate. Fortunately (But unfortunately for few) there is no law in Lankawe to deal with this Muslim ISIS war heroes. Then almost for same time length, Lankawe has been training Kerala Kshatriya Muslim heroes in Kattankudy, Kalmunai, Beruwala………. . India did know that too. But this time Aanduwa had send its operative to Tamil Nadu, had them trained, delivered the bombs from Welisara Navy Camp and bombed Tamil Christians. This is no longer ignorable to PM Modi like what Sonia has been doing while China taking parts of Lankawe in repossessed-foreclosed land Auctions. Now it is a double edged sword. One is Lankawe has brought all super powers together to the “Ring Lankawe” for a dual. It is very uncomfortable for Modi while TN is only 30 miles from NPC. The other one is Appe Aanduwa has penetrated with its rented ISIS, into Kerala, TN and Kashmir. Even if Modi brush off TN, he cannot do that with Kashmir which demands separation. Now in Modi’s terms, he has solved Appe Aanduwa penetration in India from TN, South and to Kashmir, the North Ends with its ISIS. Remember when Mrs. Gandhi was liberating Bangladesh, what happened in Western India? Modi has covered that mistake.
Ranil too by haling Modi’s action of capturing Kashmir, he embraced Modi and defused any embarrassment might have built between Lankawe and India. Ranil didn’t want to blame Modi for JR’s mistake in 1987.
The next action expectable from Modi is responding with some (friendly or antagonistic) action to the WWIII developing in Lankawe (Provided this all what the preparation he wanted, to deal with Lankawe).
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Jay / August 8, 2019
RANIL can see far distance than any other blokes protecting his survival. What a cunning crook.
I hate SL politics every move and policies these blokes brining in have background deals to protect themselves or steal public funds.
The only solution I can think of is to have an independent person to become the head of state. The immediate name comes to my mind is Nagananda Kodituwakku.
The recent behavior of social media who carries out political agenda of the current parties clearly attacking him and has been perturbed.
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Jey / August 8, 2019
From all the comments I have read about the articles published in Colombo Telegraph over the years. Mostly are very critical of the happenings, past and at present. The future appears gloom. One wonders whether Sri Lanka is a” Pariah State” or “Banana Republic” or “Failed State”. When one views the current trend in politics or economic in Sri Lanka, all three will apply hands down. Called it triple medallist ,state.
Does not the good many Sri Lankan ask, why the country is in such a state? Are we truly the god loving people whom we say we are? Can any actions be taken to repair this and how do we go about it?
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Wera / August 8, 2019
GOTA does not have a release from US citizenship. Whatever he claims that he has is fake. The only way to confirm if he is no longer a US citizen is to check the list of names published by the US state department listing all those who have renounced their citizenship. The last time this list was published GOTA’s name was not on it. Therefore the Sri Lankan passport has most likely been issued illegally. The next presidential election will be fought between Ranil Wickremasinghe and Gotabaya Rajapakshe. May the best man win. Of course when you pit these two against each other the choice is obvious to any one with half a brain. That is exactly what the plot is about if this plot line is true. All the other wannabes are toast i.e. Sirisena and Sajith.
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Roadster / August 8, 2019
#sosrilanka
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Soam / August 9, 2019
Three good reasons why Sri Lanka is in the muddle. They are in the picture.
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Ajay / August 11, 2019
Though the Rajapaksa’s are out of office, the Deep State set up by them when they were in power is still behind the many key decisions taken by the Punch-and-Judy Show run by Sira and Ranil.
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