Briefing the delegation, Sampanthan highlighted that the people in this country since 1994 have repeatedly voted for the abolition of the Executive Presidency, which has been the verdict of the people for over 25 years at elections. In this context holding another Presidential election is a deceitful act and is against the verdict of the people of this country, Sampanthan said.

“The matter what has to be decided at this juncture is that, whether to participate in this process which is against the verdict of the people and the other question remains whether is it a legitimate process”

He said at the last Presidential election, over 90% of the people supported a New Constitution. Based on that, a resolution was unanimously adopted in Parliament and much work had been done to frame a new Constitution but now all those efforts had been put aside.

“After the 13th Amendment to the Constitution was introduced in 1988,much work had been done over the past 30 years, concerning framing a new Constitution.

There were several proposals made available in this regard but none of those were fulfilled. At this moment the country needs a new Constitution and not a Presidential Election,” Sampanthan said.

dailynews.lk/2019/08/13

image :TNA Leader R.Sampanthan meeting members of an European Union delegation comprising of Policy Officer Democracy and Electoral Observation Riccardo Chelleri and Deputy Head,Political, Trade, Communications Section Anne Vaugier Chatterjee and others in Colombo yesterday.