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Chongqing party boss Chen Min’er, a high-ranking Chinese Communist Party official yesterday (18) met Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for talks in Colombo.

The discussion was focused on strengthening bilateral ties between China and Sri Lanka.

Chen Min’er has told the Prime Minister that Chongqing city is keen to invest in several sectors in Sri Lanka.

Both sides had also discussed the need to strengthen the trade relationship between Sri Lanka and Chongqing city.

The discussions had also focused on regional issues including on security matters in the Indian Ocean.

A protege of Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Chinese official is leading a Chinese delegation to Sri Lanka on a three-day official visit.

Chen is reportedly seen as a rising political star on the mainland. He was appointed Communist Party Secretary of Chongqing in 2017, and became a member of the 25-person Politburo – the Communist Party’s top decision-making body – later that year at the 19th Party Congress.

The meeting had taken place at the Office of the Elections Commission yesterday at 2 p.m.

The meeting was chaired by Chairman of the Elections Commission, Mahinda Deshapriya.

UPFA General Secretary Mahinda Amaraweera told the media after the meeting that the Elections Commission had requested political parties to adhere to an environment friendly, violence free, and fair campaigning policy.

The Commission had also taken up suggestions from the political parties with regard to the forthcoming elections from respective political parties.

Apart from the presidential election, the party secretaries were also briefed on the legal nature of the postponed provincial elections.

The term of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) probing into the Easter Sunday attacks has been extended till October 31st.

Meanwhile, President Maithripala Sirisena is set to appear before the Committee on Friday (20).

Parliament last month extended the term of the PSC till September 30th as the PSC had requested an extension in order to complete its inquiry and submit its final report to Parliament.

The PSC was appointed by a resolution passed unanimously by Parliament on May 22nd. The PSC’s term was originally only for a period of three months.

Jayasuriya says that he would consider contesting the forthcoming presidential election only with the political forces which had since 1995 consistently stood for the abolishing of the executive presidency.

Issuing a statement, the Speaker said he would do so together with those who stood for democratic reforms introduced by the 17th Amendment and further strengthened by the 19the Amendment to the Constitution.

Jayasuriya says he was requested by the clergy, civil societies and youth movements to consider contesting the forthcoming presidential elections.

He noted that these parties highlighted the need for a noble leader who will protect democracy and address the country’s political issues.

He observes that strengthening the 19th Amendment to the Constitution must also be a part of the mandate.

He further notes that in such background he said will contest as the candidate of the United National Front (UNF) with the blessings of the party members.

Jayasuriya’s statement follows UNP’s announcement that it will abolish the executive presidency immediately after the 2020 presidential elections.

The United National Party (UNP) is currently in a deadlock unable to reach consensus over the appointment of a suitable presidential candidate.

UNP Leader, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Deputy Leader, MInister Sajith Premadasa have declared their intentions to contest at the presidential election.

Kariyawasam said the UNP leadership had informed him that the relevant decision would be taken next week following discussions.

The party leadership earlier stated that the UNP’s presidential candidate will be decided once the presidential election is announced by the Elections Commission by the party’s Working Committee.

However, UNP Deputy Leader, Minister Sajith Premadasa and his loyalists have called for the Working Committee as well as the parliamentary group to be convened to decide on the UNP’s presidential candidate.

UNP leader, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, Deputy Leader, Minister Premadasa and Speaker Karu Jayasuriya are currently the frontrunners vying to become the UNP’s presidential candidate.

Meanwhile, the Elections Commission has announced that the next presidential election would be held on November 16th, 2019.

The meeting is scheduled to take place at 3 p.m. at the parliamentary complex.

The discussion between the Prime Minister and TNA are to focus on the UNP's presidential candidate.

Wickremesinghe's meeting with the TNA will take place in the backdrop of discussions held between the UNP Deputy Leader, Minister Sajith Premadasa and the TNA on getting the latter's support for Premadasa's candidacy.

UNF party leaders will convene at 6 p.m. today for talks that would focus on the presidential candidate, the United National Party (UNP) said.

Meanwhile, the UNP says the party’s presidential candidate will be picked next week.

UNP leader, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Deputy Leader, Minister Sajith Premadasa and Speaker Karu Jayasuriya are the frontrunners vying to become the UNP’s presidential candidate.

The Minister made these comments at a press briefing held in Colombo on Monday (16). During the briefing, the Minister stressed that a new President must be appointed before December 8 and pointed out that while all other parties have named their candidate, the democratic camp which forms the government has yet failed to name its candidate.

The Minister explained his party’s opinion on the matter based on three points. Firstly, an alliance must be created according to democratic traditions if the candidate of the camp is to win. Secondly, while they must come up with an arrangement to be archived within a specific time frame, and thirdly that a candidate must be chosen with everyone's consensus.

Speaking further in this regard, he said that on the 24th of August, all matters relating to the alliance's constitution were discussed and a compromise was reached. The Minister also said that the United National Front had informed the UNP at the time to immediately nominate the candidate, but however, no decision has been taken regarding the candidate yet.

The Minister noted that while the names of Ranil Wickremesinghe and Sajith Premadasa have both been presented before the country, it is difficult to go forward without arriving at a consensus. According to the Minister, since the parties will enter the election as a coalition and the UNP has yet to reach a decision, his party, the JHU suggests that all 106 MPs of the UNF should be called in for a vote to choose a candidate.

The Minister pointed out that this is more democratic and would introduce a new political tradition to the country. He also added that when a candidate is chosen, the other hopefuls who were not chosen should not sabotage the campaign and instead work towards winning it. “This is the tradition of the world which respects democracy,” he added.

Deshapriya said nominations for the elections would be called for on October 7 and there will be a two week-period for nominations.

He added that cash deposits for the elections will commence from today (19) till noon on October 6 and deposits will be accepted between 9 a.m and 11 a.m.

The Attorney General’s Coordinating Officer stated that the Sri Lankan High Commission in Singapore has handed over the request to the Singapore government.

President Maithripala Sirisena recently signed 21,000 odd documents to be sent to the Singapore government seeking Mahendran’s extradition to face litigation in Sri Lanka.

Activists, Ven. Dambara Amila Thero and Chandraguptha Thenuwara have challenged the President’s decision before the Supreme Court by filing a Fundamental Right (FR) petition yesterday (17).

The petitioners have stated that the President is legally entitled to hold only the portfolios of Mahaweli, Environment and Defence under the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

The petitioners have noted that the President has violated the Constitution by taking SLRC under the Ministry of Defence and that such action has also violated the fundamental rights of the petitioners.

They have sought the Supreme Court to declare the taking over of SLRC under the Ministry of Defence as a violation of the country’s Constitution.

President Sirisena last week issued a gazette notification announcing that the SLRC will be taken under the purview of the MOD with immediate effect.

He later stated that the move was aimed at resolving the management issues that were driving the institution in to bankruptcy.

However, media associations condemned the move claiming it was a threat to media freedom and that it would create a bad precedent when a media institution is taken under the Ministry of Defence.

Chairman of the Elections Commission, Mahinda Deshapriya says the dates related to the next presidential elections will be announced within the next 14 days.

There was speculation that the Commission might announce the presidential elections during this weekend. However, Deshapriya says the Commission had not yet reached a decision on the matter.

According to Director General of the Elections Commission, Saman Ratnayake, presidential elections will be held between 15 November and 7 December this year under the prevailing law of the country unless and otherwise the law is amended by the responsible authorities.