• Handunnetti claims that NPP Govt. will abolish Exec. Prez post, call for public support for same

Sri Lanka has elected its final Executive President as reforms will be enacted to abolish the Executive Presidency, claimed Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People's Power (NPP) Executive Committee Member, former Parliamentarian Sunil Handunnetti.

He made these remarks after the oath taking ceremony of the ninth Executive President Anura Kumara Dissanayake held yesterday (23) at the Presidential Secretariat. 

He also expressed confidence in the newly elected President's commitment to making this significant constitutional change. Urging the public to support the initiative, he stated: “A President who will abolish the Executive Presidency has now been appointed. We appeal to the public to give us their support to achieve this.” Handunnetti further explained that the Executive Presidency's abolition would not only mark the end of a controversial system of governance but also lead to more democratic reforms. He stressed that the NPP is committed to this cause, and that with the help of the public, they aim to reshape Sri Lanka’s political landscape. He stated: “This is just the beginning. With the acceptance and the help of the citizens, we will build this nation”. 

He also confirmed that the current Parliament would be dissolved, with a formal decision on the matter to be taken shortly. Handunnetti emphasised that these changes are necessary to ensure a governance structure that better represents the will of the people.

The abolition of the Executive Presidency has been a long-standing demand by various political groups in Sri Lanka. Critics of the system argue that it centralises excessive power in one office, thereby undermining checks and balances and weakening democratic processes. The NPP has been one of the main political movements advocating for the shift towards a more Parliamentary form of governance.