Independent commissions should remain impartial: Prof. Hoole

Member of the Elections Commission, Prof. S.R.H. Hoole said independent commissions, if truly independent, should not have dealings with any individual purporting to be a minister or claiming to represent them, until the Parliament or the Supreme Court resolved the current political crisis.

In a statement, he said “These are difficult times for independent commissions. Both Ranil Wickremesinghe and Mahinda Rajapaksa are claiming to be legitimate Prime Ministers with their own separate Cabinets. President Maithripala Sirisena claims to have dismissed the former using his Constitutional powers, while Mr. Wickremesinghe says the President has no such power and that he cannot be dismissed without a no-confidence motion or defeating his budget. In this confusion, it is regrettable that many print and electronic media outlets are addressing various persons as ministers holding different portfolios. That is taking

These are difficult times for independent commissions. Both Ranil Wickremesinghe and Mahinda Rajapaksa are claiming to be legitimate Prime Ministers with their own separate Cabinets

sides. “Until Parliament meets and we know with legal backing which person claiming to be PM commands a majority, or the courts affirm who the legitimate PM is, our personal opinion may not be relevant to the nation. While the President’s position as President is unquestioned, it is unclear who the real ministers including the PM are.

Resolving this crisis through Parliament or the judiciary is therefore urgent. I feel sad and worried about government servants who like us commission members, cannot hide behind the independence conferred on the commissions by the 19th Amendment, if summoned or ordered by ministers,” he said.