Plebiscitary politics has once again come to the fore in the Island’s politics. Citing the “security of the country”, President Chandrika Kumaratunga sacked three ministers of the present UNF government, prorogued Parliament and imposed island-wide emergency (but later withdrawn). The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has also endorsed the constitutional validity of her act. Her latest step could have been constitutionally right, but the following questions needs to be answered to test its sagacity. What made the President to act so when the Prime Minster was out of the country? Why media minister was sacked when the national security was the primary concern? What was the need to prorogue parliament when the budget session was a week’s away? Why at that juncture when there were signs of revival of peace process with the submission of counter-proposals by the LTTE? What was the need to do so when the economy was slowly limping back to normal?

President’s stated reasonâ€â€