Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

20 October  2020

 

 

Universal Franchise is the People

Here in New South Wales, Australia, the issue of privacy of our State Premier is  in the Public eye due to the current inquiry into corruption allegations against Mr Daryl Maguire, former Member of NSW State Parliament. The parallel of this in Sri Lankan politics is the issue of Executive Presidency vs. Governing Presidency.  Former confirms relative power as per the written law. Latter is absolute power that works of its own free will. Like in the case of Coronavirus, we are in its management or control. That is also the way of Universal Franchise. The beauty of this power is that it separates those who believe in themselves and their contribution without damage to either side. In the case of the NSW Premier for example, those who believe in the lady as she is structured would separate from those who believe in the opposition structure presented by the leader of the Opposition. There are no rights or wrongs because it is a belief based  formation needed in an adversarial system of governance.

In Sri Lanka which also enjoys the status of being democratic – we have a whole family elected to Parliament as if we are Saudi Arabia. It confirms the lack of development in Democracy. But under the previous government whose elected leaders were not limited to biological relations, we became more global. The 19^th Amendment to the Constitution strongly facilitated this connection to global community and therefore access to global minds and opportunities.  

As per the Ceylon Today report headed ‘Delay in formulating new Constitution an injustice to majority – Weerasekara’ :

[He further stated the formulation of a new Constitution will take more time, and it will be an injustice to the majority who voted them in, if the Government has to wait till that time to serve the public.]

As per the fundamentals of Universal Franchise the government of majority will not act to hurt that majority – provided it acted through its belief. That is the true exercise of power by a governor. Those who ‘appointed’ their leaders as in reverse autocracy, would be disappointed if their expectations are not fulfilled. But they do not have governing power. The government appointed by them will be handicapped when challenged by the believing voter.

Ceylon Today reports under the heading ‘TNA’s Sumanthiran campaigning to oppose 20th Amendment’:

[Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian and spokesperson M. A. Sumanthiran stated they have taken steps to mobilise support of the public to oppose the 20th Amendment to the Constitution.

Sumanthiran said they are campaigning against the new Constitution and were conducting workshops in the Batticaloa district to make the general public aware.]

The government that is able to ‘show’ two thirds majority in Parliament would have little need for the support of written law, provided that majority is belief based. To the extent the government shows need for the written law to cover them – it confirms lack of such belief in the People and of the People in them. Many of them would be in unsteady electorates like Ampara in East and  Udupiddy in North where votes to the current government would be seriously lacking in belief. A leader who believes can easily override that relative power. The outcome may take time to manifest but it is sure to manifest when the believer needs it.

State Minister Weerasekara’s thoughts are confirmed by Ceylon Today report as follows:

 [“Everything except Article 30(2) of the Constitution on, the Presidential term being five years, Article 31(2) on, no person who has been twice elected to the office of the President shall be qualified thereafter to be elected to such office, and Article 14A on, the right of access to information included in the 19th Amendment will be abolished. After abolishing the 19th Amendment, the Constitution will continue just as it did during the 18th Amendment. That’s what will be included in the 20th Amendment,” noted Rear Admiral Weerasekara. ]

If the Constitution post 18^th Amendment matched the true laws of majority as per their belief, the government would not have been changed in 2015 and the 19^th Amendment would not have happened. The haste with which the government is seeking to change the constitution confirms lack of belief in the People and therefore the serious need for the protection of People’s power which would naturally protect democracy. Where belief of a leader merges with the belief of followers – true governance is born. That power is eternal. A government that is structured by quid pro quos is at the bottom of this belief based system. Eternal powers would always be supportive of those who contributed to them.

To the extent the 19^th Amendment was developed and  implemented on the basis of belief including in the judicial system we have inherited – its powers will prevail as natural laws. Hence why fear when there is belief?