President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has no plans to dissolve the current parliament after one year, a senior leader of the People’s Alliance (PA) said. Former Highways minister A.H.M.Fowzie was replying to allegations made by Agriculture, Livestock and Welfare minister S.B.Dissanayake in the ruling United National Party’s annual convention held in Colombo on Saturday.

"The President is a serious threat to the government and the peace process as she is planning to dissolve the parliament minutes after the current parliament completes one year" Kumaratunga’s former close confidante Dissanayake, whose defection with other senior lawmakers forced her to call fresh elections which resulted with the humiliating defeat to PA, told the UNPers.

In an interview with BBC’s Sandeshaya, Mr. Fowzie, MP, denied Dissanayake’s allegations. "This is the initial step of a planned impeachment motion to overthrow the President". Mr. Fowzie said as Mrs. Kumaratunga is well aware of the people’s mandate, she would not interrupt government proceedings, although she is constitutionally empowered to do so. "She will let the people to decide".

The executive President has legitimate power as the leader of the state to dissolve the legislator any time after it completes one year term, according to Sri Lanka’s constitution introduced by Prime Minister Wickramasinge’s uncle, the then President J.R.Jayawardhana in 1978. Published: Sat Jan 12 13:18:56 EST 2002