- News>
- Asia
Chandrika secretly extended her term by a year: report
Colombo, Dec 21: Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga, in a secret swearing in ceremony in November 2000, had given herself an extra year in power, a media report said here today.
Colombo, Dec 21: Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga, in a secret swearing in ceremony in November
2000, had given herself an extra year in power, a media report
said here today.
Kumaratunga, who called for presidential elections in December 1999, a year ahead of schedule, was sworn in as President for her second and final six-year term which ends in December 2005.
However, the Sunday Times newspaper here claimed it had learnt that Kumaratunga has had a "secret ceremony" on November 11, 2000 before Chief Justice Sarath Silva to remain in power till November 11, 2006.
Kumaratunga's spokesman Janadasa Peiris said he was unaware of a secret ceremony, but added that there had been a debate on when the president's term would effectively end.
She called the last presidential election with one more year left in her first six-year term, but had a public swearing in ceremony three days after the December 1999 vote.
"A second swearing in took place on November 11, 2000 at a private unpublished ceremony. No formal statement was made to the country thereafter to inform the public about the swearing in.
"Her legal advisors have consequently opined that she could now remain in office until November 2006 - an opinion challenged by others," the newspaper said.
Bureau Report
Kumaratunga, who called for presidential elections in December 1999, a year ahead of schedule, was sworn in as President for her second and final six-year term which ends in December 2005.
However, the Sunday Times newspaper here claimed it had learnt that Kumaratunga has had a "secret ceremony" on November 11, 2000 before Chief Justice Sarath Silva to remain in power till November 11, 2006.
Kumaratunga's spokesman Janadasa Peiris said he was unaware of a secret ceremony, but added that there had been a debate on when the president's term would effectively end.
She called the last presidential election with one more year left in her first six-year term, but had a public swearing in ceremony three days after the December 1999 vote.
"A second swearing in took place on November 11, 2000 at a private unpublished ceremony. No formal statement was made to the country thereafter to inform the public about the swearing in.
"Her legal advisors have consequently opined that she could now remain in office until November 2006 - an opinion challenged by others," the newspaper said.
Bureau Report