Editorial
Resignation controversy
It makes light of constitution
FOLLOWING handing in of the ministers' resignation letters to prime minister, controversy has now arisen about their present status according to the constitution. The resignation drama, it may be recalled, was made with much fanfare responding to the prime minister's call to this effect as a prelude to her next step of forming a so-called all-party interim government to conduct next general election.
Though the constitution provides that positions of the resigning cabinet as well as state ministers should have fallen vacant, it appears that the prime minister and her cabinet colleagues have been trying to interpret the relevant provision to suit their purpose. Such arbitrary interpretation of the constitution is uncalled-for and undesirable.
Naturally, questions are being raised by constitutional and legal experts, if the ministers still continuing in their job despite their resignations are doing it in breach of the constitution.
The government has created a smokescreen around a constitutional point. The way ministers are coming up with various interpretations of the resignation is in effect making light of the constitution. This is unprecedented and undesirable.
The government, the prime minister in particular, must now clear the tangle about the entire issue without further ado or refer it to the appropriate authority, the High Court, for its opinion.
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