BASL denies PM's claim

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has categorically denied a recent claim made by PM Ranil Wickremesinghe. 

Recently, the PM claimed that the BASL, on May 08, had agreed with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa that he could remain as President if the executive presidency is abolished. 

An English translation of the said statement would read as follows:

“It was the Bar Association which met the President on May 8th and arrived at an agreement with him. That if you restore the 19th Amendment and especially if you abolish the executive Presidency you can continue to be President. This is there in what was brought. Their proposals do not have anything else. They met.” 

In a statement yesterday (10), the BASL said that the above statement is inaccurate and not a true reflection of what took place.  

"Needless to say, the BASL is a professional organisation and the question of arriving at an agreement between the President and the BASL never rose. The BASL did not give any assurance to the President that he should continue in office if he agreed to abolish the Executive Presidency and the 19th Amendment," the statement adds. 

The full statement of the BASL is as follows :