President elect hustings ends on a civilised note
The ballot to elect the eighth Executive President of Sri Lanka was held in Parliament yesterday.
Accordingly, Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake, prior to the commencement of the process of voting read out all the relevant instructions to the Parliamentarians. Thereafter the names of the relevant Parliamentarians were announced and they cast their vote. However, while 223 of the Members of Parliament cast their vote, two Parliamentarians refrained from voting. Parliamentary Secretary General Dhammika Dasanayake, who acts as the Returning Officer in the secret ballot, said that all the guidelines have been informed to the MPs according to the Special Arrangements Act for the Election of the President No. 2 of 1981.
All parliamentarians behaved in a very civilized manner during the vote yesterday and it was noteworthy that the whole Rajapaksa family political group were present in parliament to cast their vote.
SLFP General Secretary MP Dayasiri Jayasekara speaking to media following yesterday’s vote to elect a new President said the SLFP reached a decision to support MP Alahapperuma.
However, he said that not everyone in the SLFP had voted for MP Alahapperuma.
Jayasekara said discussions will be held within the Central Committee to determine if disciplinary action will be taken against those who violated the collective party decision. He also said that the SLFP will not accept any Ministerial posts under the new government and will execute the party’s programme.
Meanwhile, President-elect Ranil Wickremesinghe expressed his gratitude to the Tri-Forces and the Police for the services rendered by them during the past few days.
On his way out of the Parliamentary complex following the Presidential election, the newly elected President was seen getting down from his vehicle and meeting the armed forces personnel who were deployed on duty outside the Parliament.
He thanked them and was seen in casual conversation with the military and police personnel and thanked the security forces personnel for working to protect and uphold democracy.