Best way forward is to amend constitution, says President

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik has said the best way to address the issues that might arise if the country does not have a president-elect by 11 November, is to amend the constitution.

Speaking to the press after a meeting with the presidential candidates today, President Waheed said he has been advised that the best legal remedy to mitigate the complications that might arise if the country fails to elect a president by the constitutional deadline is to amend the constitution.

“I too am asking the people I need to ask for legal advice. My advisors tell me that the best thing to do, since this is a legal issue and since the constitution is silent on the matter, the best thing to do is to amend the constitution,” President Waheed said.

President also said all the presidential candidates had agreed today that the best way to proceed is to have the constitution amended. Apart from a legal solution, the president said that a political solution is needed for the issue to be permanently addressed.

“The parliament can be convened even tomorrow. Either for the Speaker of the parliament to step up, or for the Chief Justice, it is up to them,” President Waheed said.

“I too hope that we will not face the second circumstance. We haven’t decided what we should do if a person is not designated for after November. I have said earlier that I do not want to stay on, not even a single day [after the end of the presidential term]. So I hope we will find a solution,” President Waheed said.

Parliament on 27 October has passed a motion stating that the Speaker of the Parliament shall take over presidential powers if the country does not have a president-elect by the 11 November.