02-08-2004, 04:48 AM
Same time India will be going for poll and Problem in Pakistan.
<b>Sri Lankan parliament dissolved; mid term poll on April 2</b>
PK Balachanddran
Colombo, February 7
Following a power struggle between her and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga on Saturday dissolved the country's parliament and ordered fresh elections.
The 225 member house had been elected only two years ago, in December 2001.
An official announcement said that polling would be held on April 2 and the new parliament would ceremonially sit on April 22.
Nominations would be accepted between April 17 and 24.
The President and the Prime Minister had been unable to resolve the conflict over who would control the crucial Ministry of Defence and three months of talks on the issue had drawn a blank.
The President had taken over the Defence, Interior and Media ministries on November 4 which prompted the Prime Minister to say that he would not conduct the peace process and the peace talks with the separatist LTTE without unfettered control over the defence ministry. The peace process, already in the doldrums, received a further setback.
The President, who maintained that she had a constitutional duty to control the defence ministry, however suggested that the Prime Minister take charge of defence matters related to the peace process and was prepared to establish a Ministry of National Security for this purpose. But this did not satisfy the Prime Minister.
The matter will now be decided by the people in the parliamentary mid term poll.
<b>Sri Lankan parliament dissolved; mid term poll on April 2</b>
PK Balachanddran
Colombo, February 7
Following a power struggle between her and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga on Saturday dissolved the country's parliament and ordered fresh elections.
The 225 member house had been elected only two years ago, in December 2001.
An official announcement said that polling would be held on April 2 and the new parliament would ceremonially sit on April 22.
Nominations would be accepted between April 17 and 24.
The President and the Prime Minister had been unable to resolve the conflict over who would control the crucial Ministry of Defence and three months of talks on the issue had drawn a blank.
The President had taken over the Defence, Interior and Media ministries on November 4 which prompted the Prime Minister to say that he would not conduct the peace process and the peace talks with the separatist LTTE without unfettered control over the defence ministry. The peace process, already in the doldrums, received a further setback.
The President, who maintained that she had a constitutional duty to control the defence ministry, however suggested that the Prime Minister take charge of defence matters related to the peace process and was prepared to establish a Ministry of National Security for this purpose. But this did not satisfy the Prime Minister.
The matter will now be decided by the people in the parliamentary mid term poll.