Lanka's Speaker asks officials to defy 'illegal' orders

Wickremesinghe challenges parliament dissolution

November 13, 2018 00:00:00

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan legislator Mangala Samaraweera (L) walking out from the Supreme Court after filing a petition against President Maithripala Sirisena's dissolving the legislature on Monday — AFP

COLOMBO, Nov 12 (Agencies): Sri Lankan parliament Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has called on all public servants to refuse to execute any "illegal" orders they may receive in the midst of an ongoing political crisis, local media reported on Monday.

In a statement, Jayasuriya said every citizen who was entrusted with responsibilities under Sri Lanka's Constitution, should think first of the country and not of party politics or personal affiliations.

"Under these dire circumstances, I urge all public servants who have sworn an oath to defend the Constitution to revisit that Oath," the speaker said.

"I call upon all public servants to refuse to execute any illegal orders they may receive, no matter from whom," he added.

Jayasuriya's statement came after President Maithripala Sirisena dissolved Parliament and declared an early parliamentary election Friday night in order to solve the escalating political turmoil, which erupted after he sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and appointed former President Mahinda Rajapakse to the post.

A day after Rajapakse's appointment on Oct. 26, President Sirisena suspended the parliament till Nov. 16, but later issued a gazette notification stating parliament would convene on Nov. 14.

Meanwhile, supporters of Sri Lanka's fired prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and a top election official on Monday challenged in court the president's sacking of parliament, upping the ante in a political crisis that has sparked international alarm.

President Maithripala Sirisena late Friday called snap elections and dissolved the legislature, two weeks after sacking the prime minister and installing the divisive Mahinda Rajapakse in his place.

The United States has led a chorus of international voices expressing concern over events in the strategically important Indian Ocean island nation of 21 million people.

Three political parties holding an absolute majority in parliament and an election commissioner, one of three officials tasked with conducting polls, on Monday asked the Supreme Court to declare the president's actions illegal.