by Shamindra Ferdinando

President Chandrika Kumaratunga is likely to take advantage of the forthcoming change in the top post in the Constitutional Council (CC) to alter the composition of the Elections Commission.

The CC will meet soon after the parliament elects the new speaker who automatically will be the council’s chairman. The house will meet on Thursday (22).

"She plans to get rid of the commission’s chairman—elect retired Supreme Court Judge Ranjith Dheeraratne," a well informed source said.

Kumaratunga repeatedly refused to activate the five-member Commission claiming Dheeraratne was biased towards the UNP, a claim rejected unanimously by the ten-member council.

"We twice unanimously endorsed Dheeraratne’s appointment. The then Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapakse and the president’s nominee endorsed it," former Speaker and the outgoing head of the Constitutional Council Joseph Michael Perera told the Sunday Island.

"We steadfastly stood by our nominees. We wouldn’t have dropped the chairman elect to please the president".

The Gampaha District MP acknowledged the fact that the forthcoming changes in the Constitutional Council would give the president an opportunity to axe Dheeraratne.

Dr. A. M. G. Chandrahasan, Mrs. M. Nilaweera, Elmore M. Perera, S. A. C. M. Suhail are the other members of the commission. Under the 17th Amendment to the Constitution, the president has to endorse the CC’s recommendations to activate each commission.

Perera regretted their failure to activate the Elections Commission as a result of the president’s unreasonable stand. However the remaining independent commissions to run police, public service, finance and human rights were activated during Perera’s tenure as the CC’s head.

Perera will continue to function as the CC’s head until the election of the next speaker. Mahinda Rajapkse who was in the CC as the opposition leader will continue as the new premier. The former premier will continue in the CC as the opposition leader. All other members including the president’s nominee will continue as members.

Perera emphasised that it wouldn’t be easy for the CC to reverse its earlier decision on Dheeraratne as they themselves opted for the respected retired judge.