• MP Rasamanickam cites lack of Tamils in apex body, Constitutional provisions, size of Party  

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Opposition Parliamentarian (MP), Shanakiyan Rasamanickam yesterday (10) said that the TNA is entitled to get a position in the Constitutional Council (CC) not just due to being the largest Tamil representation in the Parliament but according to the country’s Constitution.

He said this when he was contacted by The Daily Morning to inquire about the lack of minority Opposition parties’ representation in the CC. 

“The Opposition and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Leader Sajith Premadasa had nominated SJB MP Kabir Hashim as his representative to the CC. So basically, there were representations from the Sinhala and Muslim communities but not Tamils. On the other hand, the Parliamentary Standing Orders state that there has to be nobody who represents the Prime Minister’s (PM) Party or the Opposition Leader’s Party to get the other position. Technically, it should be given to us (TNA) or the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP). But, it should be given to us as we are the third largest Party in the Parliament,” he claimed.

He also said that a decision could not be made in the nomination meeting as the breakaway wing of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) now in the Opposition led by Wimal Weerawansa also demanded a position for their group within the CC.

“When the first nomination meeting took place four or five months ago, the TNA nominated one of our senior MPs Dharmalingam Siddarthan. At that time, the breakaway group of the SLPP in the Opposition nominated Jayantha Samaraweera and later on changed it to Udaya Gammanpila. We did not want to raise the ethnic composition of the CC at that moment but we wanted to highlight that it should be given to a party which is neither the Ruling Party (SLPP) nor the Main Opposition Party (SJB). After that, the Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana who Chaired the meeting, had to postpone it without appointing a member. Therefore, the post is being kept vacant to date,” he said.

Rasamanickam emphasised that the international community would get a clear picture of how the Tamils are being treated if this position is not given to a party which represents the Tamil community in Sri Lanka. 

“We do not want to highlight the ethnicity in this matter. But, as there is a large number of Tamils in the country, Tamil representation should be there in the CC. If Premadasa had not nominated a Muslim MP to the CC, there should be a Muslim representative as well. Even when we keep this ethnic issue aside, we are entitled to get this vacant position as the TNA is the largest party which does not represent the SLPP or the SJB,” he said.

He also said that TNA is not ready to withdraw from their position and that it will continue demanding the appointment of MP Siddarthan to the CC.

As per the 21st Amendment to the Constitution that was passed by the Parliament, the recommendations of the 10-member CC are necessary to make appointments, including those to independent Commissions. The Speaker (the Chair), the Premier, and the Opposition Leader are appointed to the CC in their official capacity. The other members are the Prime Minister's representative, the Opposition Leader’s representative, a member from the Ruling Party, a member from a party which is neither the Ruling Party nor the Main Opposition Party, and three members of the civil society.