12th November 2018, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) and its Executive Director, Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, filed papers challenging the proclamation (Gazette Extraordinary 2096/70) issued by President Sirisena purportedly dissolving the Eighth Parliament. CPA’s position is firm that Article 70(1) of the Constitution read with Articles 33(2)(c) make it crystal clear that the […]
23rd January 2018, Colombo, Sri Lanka: Two Fundamental Rights Petitions were filed challenging the validity of Excise Notification No 4/2018 of the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2054-42 issued by the Minister in charge of the Ministry of Finance and Media on 18th January 2018. The effect of Excise Notification No 4/2018 is to reintroduce: The prohibition on women above the […]
The Centre for Policy Alternatives has prepared this short guide to answer some further questions that have arisen in the public debate about the constitutional crisis in Sri Lanka. See the previous set of Questions and Answers here. What was the Supreme Court’s decision on November 13th? When the President issued a gazette on November 9th […]
13 November 2018, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) warmly welcomes the Supreme Court’s decision today to stay the proclamation dissolving Parliament made by the President on 9 November 2018, until 7 December. The Court also granted leave to proceed on a number of fundamental rights applications including those by CPA and […]
The Centre for Policy Alternatives has prepared this short guide to answer some questions that have arisen in the public debate about the constitutional crisis in Sri Lanka. What is the prorogation of Parliament? To prorogue Parliament means to prolong it, or to put it off for a later day. It is basically a temporary […]
October 29th 2018, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) condemns in the strongest possible terms the attempt by President Maithripala Sirisena to purportedly remove Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe from office and appoint Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister instead. We firmly believe that these acts are unconstitutional and illegal, and wholly lacking […]
Asanga Welikala There were three dramatic announcements on the evening of Friday 26th October 2018 from the Presidential Secretariat, which occurred in the following order: (a) the announcement of the withdrawal of the UPFA from the government; (b) the swearing-in of Mahinda Rajapaksa before President Maithripala Sirisena as the Prime Minister; and (c) the announcement that […]
Centre for Policy Alternatives on 30 November, 2018