On whose authority you continue acting as PM, asks Sri Lankan court to newly inducted PM

A bitter question has been triggered by the Sri Lankan court today at Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was inducted in the Prime Ministerial post by President Maithripala Sirisena forcefully and undemocratically removing Ranil Wickremesinghe: on whose authority you continue acting as the Prime Minister.

The Sri Lankan PM and his fellow ministers will have to give a justifiable answer before the court on 12 December when the court meets again to consider the case.

The vital question has been asked while considering a petition submitted by a group of 122 lawmakers (far above the number needed to win a non-confidence motion) informing the court that the appointment of the new PM was rejected by the parliament twice when the non-confidence motions were moved against the new PM on 12 November and 14 November.

If the Sri Lankan government fails to give a satisfactory answer to the court to the question that it has asked, the court may derecognise the President’s appointee as the PM. That move is not only harmful for the political future of the new PM, but also the future of President.

Still, in Sri Lanka, the court is the most powerful institution. Many welcome the timely interference of the court in the issue.

Vignesh. S. G

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