Former CJ Sarath Says Cabinet Illegal

Former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva argued yesterday that in in terms of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution the Cabinet should be restricted to 30 and the number of deputy and state ministers to 40. However, he said there was a separate constitutional provision to increase the number to 45 Cabinet Ministers in the event of a national government.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe moved a resolution in Parliament for the establishment of a national government in conformity with an agreement signed between UNP General Secretary Kabir Hashim and SLFP General Secretary Duminda Dissanayake. As the entire two year period stipulated for the unity government lapsed in December, and the agreement not yet renewed, the entire Cabinet including the Prime Minister had been rendered illegal at the moment.