32 The Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka President's staff 41. (1) The President shall have the power to appoint such Secretaries, and, in consultation with the Cabinet of Ministers, such other officers and staff as are in his opinion necessary to assist him in the exercise, performance and discharge of the powers, duties and functions of his office, and to determine their terms and conditions of service. (2) The salaries of such Secretaries, officers and staff shall be charged on the Consolidated Fund. (3) Such Secretaries, officers and staff shall be deemed to be public officers except that the dismissal and disciplinary control of such Secretaries, officers and staff shall be vested in the President, who may delegate to any such Secretary his powers of dismissal and disciplinary control in respect of any such officers or staff. (4) Every such Secretary, officer or member of the staff shall cease to hold office upon a new President assuming office. (5) Where any such Secretary, officer or member of the staff so ceases to hold office, the Cabinet of Ministers may appoint such Secretary, officer or member of the staff to any post in the Public Service: Provided that any such Secretary, officer or member of the staff who immediately prior to his appointment as Secretary, officer or member of the staff was in the Public or Local Government Service or in the service of a public corporation shall be entitled to revert to such service without loss of seniority upon a new President assuming office. (6) The proviso to paragraph (5) of Article shall, mutatis mutandis, apply to any person referred to in that proviso upon – (a) the President terminating the services of such person, otherwise than by dismissal on disciplinary grounds; or (b) the resignation of such person, unless disciplinary proceedings are pending or contemplated against such person on the date of his resignation. (7) For the purposes of paragraphs (5) and (6) of this Article any person who has continuously held the office of Secretary to the President, Secretary to any Ministry or any office in the President’s staff or any one or more of such offices shall be deemed to have continuously held the office which such person last held.