Constitutional reforms – a response
May 10, 2015, 9:35 pm
I refer to opinion expressed by one of your readers, D. C 'Abeyratne evidently from Unawatuna recently under the caption, 'Constitutional Reforms and reforms. He made two valid points which should have been included in the recent passed constitutional reforms.
He advocated reversal to the law laid down in the Ceylon Parliamentary Elections (Order in Council) 1946 and the rules envisaged therein. This would provide more transparency of the members elected. The second issue was the need for the independence of the Speaker. This is the need of the hour.
However, there were two errors in that letter. I believe Hugh Fernando was elected for the post of Speaker from Wennappuwa and not Nattandiya . The other was that Hugh defeated Albert F Peiris as an SLFP-MEP candidate and not as an Independent candidate. Though the Puttalam District produced four Speakers of the House I have not known a single instance where any one of them was elected uncontested for having acted independently in Parliament.
Hemantha Situge
Attorney at Law
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