GL accuses govt. of trying to put off next presidential election

Former External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris believes the Janathawadi Joint Opposition suspects the government of attempting to postpone the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections. He expressed concerns during a meeting in Galle to oppose the 22nd Constitutional Amendment at a time when several NPP members have vowed to maintain power for 20 to 25 years.

Peiris warned that enacting the amendment could jeopardize the existing political party system and potentially lead to democratic backsliding in the country, as presidential and parliamentary elections occur every five years. The last elections were held in September and November 2024. Peiris stressed that through the amendment, the NPP could seize control of the judiciary, threatening democracy entirely.

He emphasized the government's move to postpone provincial council elections and the retirement of senior judges, arguing that it's part of a clandestine plan to integrate the judiciary with the political apparatus. He questioned why senior justices like Dhammika Ganepola and R. Gurusinghe were not promoted to the Supreme Court.

Peiris accused the government of not addressing genuine judicial issues but rather implementing a political strategy to prolong their rule. Comparing the current constitutional crisis to former Chief Justice Murdhura Fernando's retirement between December 2024 and July 2025, Peiris criticized the government's decision to extend retirement ages at the expense of judicial independence.