For the Sri Lankan Government to remain popular – 13th amendment must go
Posted on June 7th, 2013
Shenali D Waduge
The firm decision taken against tremendous odds defeated 30 years of terrorism in just 3 years. It is now time to take another firm decision. That decision has to be taken with the same passion and commitment that defeated terrorism. There is no reason NOT to do what is right by the people who voted the Government into power and people who will continue to ensure the Government remains in power.
We do not need to go over and over again on why the 13th amendment deserves to be put into the wastepaper basket. The British divided Sri Lanka into provinces because it suited them not us. The Provincial Council system introduced through the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord of 1987 was designed to benefit India and not Sri Lanka. If according to Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Constitution the will of the people is inalienable, then the Provincial Council system has no valid ground because it was not requested by the people of Sri Lanka. The provincial councils are costing millions without providing any proper benefit to the masses. It is a colossal waste of money that could be used to uplift the lives of thousands of people from their present state and provide means of livelihood assistance that would invariably uplift the self-sustenance of the country.
We do not need to remind the voters in the North that the country was saved from terrorism ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” terror that denied most Tamils their fundamental freedoms. We cannot help if some Tamils are angered by the defeat of terrorism and equate the elimination of LTTE as an assault to them. Nowhere is terrorism tolerated. We cannot help that Tamils would wish to continue to support the TNA the very party and very politicians who claimed the LTTE represented all Tamils thereby placing all Tamils into the basket of the LTTE.
The question of land and police powers would never have existed if the Indo-Lanka accord had not been introduced. Therefore it is a silly argument to be demanding the two simply because it is part of the clause India introduced. There are compelling reasons why there is hesitation to give land and police powers. Within 2 years of Varatharaja Perumal winning the merged NE elections he declared a unilateral declaration of independence which led to the NE provincial council having to be dissolved and both Perumal fled to India. Dayan J served as a cabinet Minister in Perumals NE Provincial Government. Given TNAƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s track record and its election manifesto that clearly advocates separatism a Government would be insane to allow a Northern provincial election with police and land powers.
President Rajapakse does not have to go far to think of the likely scenario. When Jayalalitha and Karunanidhi give head after headache to the Indian Central Government without concentrating on improving their State, what better example does President Rajapakse not have to imagine that the same will happen to him but in Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s case it is more detrimental because at no point in time has TNA functioned without running off to some country to be told what to ask or what to say!
Yet, people are free to vote for who they desire and if inspite of freeing the Northern and Eastern peninsula and giving people the freedom of movement, freedom to enjoy life and educate their children ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” if the Tamils continue to think TNA is their messiah so be it. Nevertheless, TNA is not representative of Sri Lanka and it is the security of Sri Lanka that is of paramount concern. In order to secure Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s safety the Government is compelled to ensure that no legislature introduced forcibly be permitted to compromise Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s sovereignty any further.
- Sri Lanka should not be divided along ethnic boundaries ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” there can be no more arguments on this
- If people from the North and Eastern provinces are not denied to shift residence to other provinces, people of other provinces must not be denied from shifting their residence to the North and Eastern provinces and the Government must not feel embarrassed to articulate this loud and clear.
- Sri Lanka is a predominately Buddhist nation and the subtle and insidious ploys being advocated by people and media who have wriggled themselves into key roles cannot be allowed to undermine the status of Buddhism as articulated in Article 9 of the Constitution. All those who find this unfavourable do not need to stay in office and are welcome to practice other ideologies. However, the manner with which the majority populace has been targeted and branded must stop. Hate speech and content analysis will be shown and revealed with examples of who have been throwing stones and creating the marginalization and all these examples are now available to be publicized with names.
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The Indo-Lanka Accord should be considered null and void. India has failed to perform its primary obligation under the promised contract and it is now almost 30 years.
Moreover India has breached its own agreement by allowing its territory to be used against the territorial integrity and security of Sri Lanka. Does India need to be given examples of how LTTE were given an open entry to Tamil Nadu with Tamil Nadu politicians providing every possible support the LTTE needed? India may well like to read the Jain Commission Report following the Rajiv Gandhi murder to reveal IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s guilt.
Historically, Sri Lanka was divided as Ruhunu, Maya, Pihiti ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” there is nothing that should stop us from following concepts that we know were indigenous and worked well at the time ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” there was balance in development, areas had their own physical and cultural individuality and what was important was that there were no boundary disputes. If the Tun Sinhale pattern was the worldƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s oldest political division marked from 427BC (though the structure had existed far before) by King Pandukabhaya these divisions by virtue of their success lasted 2242 years unlike the present divisions that have created animosities and issues. So the Tun Sinhale federal system for those who cannot sleep without attaching the word ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-federalƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ to anything was practiced in Sri Lanka far before the whites came to introduce it.
The nationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s people have patiently waited long enough. Every Government has been dilly dallying with the 13th amendment and using it as a political football. LTTE lasted 30 years and faced its fall ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” we do not need to celebrate 30 years of 13th amendment to repeal it. Now is the time to do so ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” it is the peopleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s desire and the Government must listen to the people. If there are Ministers who personally align with the 13th amendment they must kindly resign and not jeopardize the nation by their selfishness. We have reached a point in time where personal preferences, personal privileges must be kept aside for the benefit of the nation.
This is the angle with which President Rajapakse must now decide and completely throw the baby, the bath water and the tub altogether (to its rightful owner). The President must also realize that some of the solutions that foreign players demand that he implement are purposely to lay the foundation to make a popular President unpopular. By keeping scores of kangaroos in his midst the dangers that the President faces also reiterates the need to ensure that the numbers that brought him to power remain unchanged and to secure that the 13th amendment must be thrown out for good ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” to do what is right by the country this time round is no different to the decision taken to end terrorism. The people remain confident that the President will deliver just as he led the war.
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June 7th, 2013 at 4:05 pm
Welcome to the “bandwagon”, Shenali.
June 7th, 2013 at 4:07 pm
FIRST CHASE OUT ALL THE MPS IN THE GOVT WHO ARE FOR 13A IF MAHINDA IS REAL PATRIOTIC HE CAN ASK WRITTEN STATEMENTS FROM ALL THE MPS. THIS THE TIME TO GET UNDATED SIGNED LETTERS FROM THEM LIKE J. R DID. IT IS NO””””” SIN””””” TO DO THAT” WHEN THERE IS A SITUATION LIKE THIS””
June 7th, 2013 at 4:16 pm
Yes. Ultimately it all comes down to this.
Tamils DIDN’T VOTE for MR. NO POINT trying to win them. WITHOUT Tamils MR won elections. BUT if he loses Sinhalese support even by 10%, he is gone.
June 7th, 2013 at 5:48 pm
For SriLanka to survive without India created “Ethnic Problem” , India created 13th Amendment must go.
For Sri lankan Tamils to remain “alive” 13th amendment must go “NOW”.
June 7th, 2013 at 7:28 pm
The 13th AMENDMENT contains Many POISON PILLS that THREATEN the INTEGRITY of Sri Lanka and the SAFETY of its PEOPLE.
Among them:
1. Devolution of Land and Police Powers that will enable SEPARATIST Tamils to EXCLUDE other communities from the North and East, to BUILD UP their SEPARATIST forces ONCE AGAIN beyond the view and control of the National Government, and to import an unending STREAM OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS from Tamil Nadu.
2. The de-facto VETO power of Provincial Councils over NATIONAL BILLS which requires UNANIMOUS CONSENT of ALL PCs for passage of National Bills. Under this law, the GOSL would be UNABLE to act against SEPARATIST Provincial Councils in any way.
3. The Provision for the MERGER of the Northern and Eastern Provincial Councils, that would resurrect the long held dream of Eelamists to impose their majority in the Northern Province on the Eastern Province, and capture it as well. What the SunGod sought to Win by MURDEROUS WAR would be gifted to the TNA in ABJECT PEACE!
It would be an ABSOLUTE FOLLY to hand over the North and East to UNREPENTANT SEPARATISTS ENABLING them to SECEDE and join Tamil Nadu!
The LIVES of UNTOLD GENERATIONS OF Sri Lankan Citizens would be placed at RISK by opening this DOOR TO HELL!
Ask Not For Whom the Bell Tolls; it Tolls for Thee!
Rise Up! …. O Patriots of Mother Lanka …. REPEAL the 13th Amendment, DEMOLISH the Provincial Council System, and HALT the upcoming Provincial Council Elections, DEMAND a NATIONWIDE REFERENDUM to END the 13th Amendment!
June 7th, 2013 at 7:48 pm
THE GOVERNMENTS SILENCE IS DEAFENING. If the Government thinks it can ignore the Sri Lankans feelings, it will sure be Humpty Dumptied.
June 7th, 2013 at 9:04 pm
It was FIVE GREAT POWERS those days, rose to liberate the country.
It is BODU BALA SENA and RAWANA BALA SENA today.
It will be a matter of time ALL unify to create PODU BALA SENA kick out the Rajapaksa’s if necessary to liberate the country.
Rajapaksas shall act NOW to get rid of ENDIA within Sri Lanka to remain “Raja”s or perish like “Drohipaksas” and join the master betrayers like RuinNil, Ponnaseka and “BayaguluWeera” who sacrifices our young lives to become “RAJAs”.
June 7th, 2013 at 10:49 pm
13th amendment must go with the North and East of Sri Lanka and live happily ever after.
June 8th, 2013 at 6:43 am
GoSL will have to move carefully out of this mess. We repeat once more that the 13-A was thrust on Sri Lanka by India under Duress during the Cold War as JR was going westward and India shifted to the other side. Tamil Leaders have taken the opportunity to eye wash and mislead the Sri Lanka Tamils solve their Caste/poverty problems via the 13-A . We say ‘eyewash & mislead’ because if Eelam is formed, it will be an appendage of Tamil Nadu and Caste will be re-imposed on the Tamils of Sri Lanka. Even for Tamils here, it is best to erase the 13-A. All others will be best off without the 13-A.
Some positive moves have happened re altering the 13-A to a safer level, but the public will have to push for more and it is best to remove the entire 13-A. Much has been written in these columns about alternative arrangements with particular emphasis on empowering grass roots organisations. We add that a strong SLAS is also a must.
June 8th, 2013 at 8:55 pm
after a long time a valuable article has been written by a person by the name r.m.b.senanayake in today’s sunday island – 9 june 2013 page 2 business section , on how the poor in sri lanka has been marginalized. this is a perfect analysis – it’s worth reading.
June 9th, 2013 at 9:33 am
The TNA fondly ASSUMES that the GOSL has to hold the Provincial Council Elections because of the UPCOMING CHOGM and UN Human Rights Council meetings.
Let the GOSL CONFOUND THE TNA by holding a NATIONWIDE REFERENDUM to REPEAL the 13th Amendment and DISSOLVE ALL Provincial Councils and them use that as the DEMOCRATICALLY EXPRESSED WILL of ALL PEOPLE of Sri Lanka to NOT Hold Provincial Council Elections at ALL.
Let NO COMMUNITY have separate powers defined by Communal Attributes of Race, REligion, Language, Caste or Sex. To do so would be to pit these communities against each other FOREVER for SPECIAL RIGHTS as in India. India has been destroyed beyond repair by allowing Communal Special Rights sanctioned by law to reign; PLEASE DO NOT make the same mistake in Mother Lanka.
Furthermore,
NEVER devolve LAND and POLICE powers to UNREPENTANT SEPARATISTS.
NEVER devolve VETO rights over National Legislation to UNREPENTANT SEPARATISTS.
NEVER devolve TAXATION rights to UNREPENTANT RACISTS; Only the National Government should levy tax and then remit a portion to local governments …. as appropriate.
EVERY DAY we see the TNA showing its TRUE SEPARATIST COLORS demanding powers that only SEPARATISTS would demand.
Rise Up …. O Patriots of Mother Lanka …REPEAL the 13th Amendment and DISSOLVE the PROVINCIAL COUNCILS.
Rise Up … O Patriots of Mother Lanka … DEMAND a NATIONWIDE REFERENDUM to REPEAL the 13th Amendment and DISSOLVE the Provincial Councils.
Our Craven Politicians cower in fear of foreigners; You must take up this challenge to PROTECT & DEFEND Mother Lanka NOW!
O Patriots of Mother Lanka … Ask Not For Whom the Bell Tolls for It Tolls for Thee!
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Sri Lanka Tamil party sees no use of holding Northern PC poll after reducing powers to provinces
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
June 09, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s major Tamil party, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) says it would be useless to hold elections to the Northern Provincial Council after amending the 13th Amendment and reducing powers vested with the provinces.
TNA parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran says the government however is compelled to hold the Northern Provincial Council elections.
“The current President and the government are going against this (implementing the 13th Amendment and going beyond),” he said.
“We want to go beyond the 13th Amendment. Provincial Councils need more powers on land, police and taxation. There are also issues in relation to the Governor. It is important to go beyond the current system. Only then can people in each province look after themselves. We are not satisfied with the current system and we must go beyond,” he added.
According to Premachandran, he does not have faith in the government to hold the Northern Provincial Council election, but understands that the government is compelled to hold the election because of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and the resolution adopted at the UN Human Rights Council.
“The government has to therefore show the world that it is democratic and holds elections. The government has to face accountability issues before the international community and there is a lot of pressure, so they would have to hold elections in the North. It is not that the government wants to hold elections, but it is compelled to do so,” he has said.
June 9th, 2013 at 10:51 pm
On May 19th, 2009 the Patriotic Forces of Sri Lanka completed the FIRST STEP of regaining its Sovereign Crown.
Let the SECOND STEP of that Heroic Struggle to Wrest our Crown Free of Foreign Domination be completed in 2013 by REPEALING the 13th Amendment and UPROOTING the Provincial Council System COMPLETELY from the Hallowed Soil of our Resplendent Motherland.
In UNITY lies our strength; UNITED we can MOVE MOUNTAINS! Hold Fast …. and FORGE AHEAD with CONFIDENCE in the NOBILITY of OUR PURPOSE … to build a peaceful and secure future for ALL Sri Lankans, irrespective of community. To this end, REJECT the creation of a Patchwork Quilt of Racist Aparthied Bantustans in Sri Lanka under the 13th Amendment!
Rise Up …. O Patriots of Mother Lanka … Rise Up as ONE PEOPLE, and Cry out in ONE VOICE that we WILL NOT TOLERATE ANYMORE the Foreign Chains that Yoke our Motherland to a Foreign Agenda designed to DIVIDE and WEAKEN our Motherland FOREVER!
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Sinhala Buddhist organizations rally to abolish the 13th Amendment to the Constitution
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
June 09, Colombo: A number of Sinhala Buddhist organizations in Sri Lanka have rallied to abolish the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
Accordingly, a general assembly has been planned to be held in Colombo with the participation of a wide range of political movements.
The rally will be held in Colombo Hyde Park on June 28.
Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), National Buddhist Monks’ Federation, Sinhala Ravaya National Organization, Bodu Bala Sena, All Lanka Buddhist Federation, All Lanka Buddhist Women’s Federation, Dharmavijaya Foundation, Swarna Hansa Foundation, Sinhala Weera Vidahana, Chinthana Parshadaya and Jayagrahanaya are the movements that have joined to hold the rally.
National Freedom Front led by Minister Wimal Weerawansa and other Sinhala nationalist parties that are with the government except the monk party JHU have not yet confirmed the participation in the rally.
June 10th, 2013 at 12:00 pm
It is VERY SAD, but the Catholic Bishops of Sri Lanka have joined the SEPARATISTS of the TNA, the would-be Future Separatists of the SLMC, the Communist Party (CP), the foreign-funded NGOs and other assorted Anti-National Elements to OPPOSE REPEAL of the 13th Amendment.
So what is new? The THESE ARE THE VERY SAME PEOPLE who covertly and overtly supported the LTTE led by its SunGod, are now fighting the same battle on a different stage to DIVIDE and GIFT the LIMBS of Mother Sri Lanka to SEPARATISTS.
The Nation is dividing into TWO CAMPS on this issue: TRAITORS and PATRIOTS. We must NEVER FORGET who the TRAITORS were!
Rise Up …. O Patriots of Mother Lanka …. in your TENS of MILLIONS to SECURE PEACE & SECURITY for yourselves and UNTOLD FUTURE GENERATIONS by REPEAL the 13th Amendment and DEMOLISHING the Provincial Councils! DEMAND a NATIONWIDE REFERENDUM to REPEAL these FOREIGN SHACKLES that BIND and ENSLAVE Mother Lanka to Communal Discord! Your NOBLE PURPOSE is to DEMOLISH FOREVER all SPECIAL PRIVILEGES to Communal Groups …. assigned on the basis of Race, Religion, Language, Caste and Sex.
Rise Up … O Patriots of Mother Lanka …. Your Country Needs you NOW!
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Catholic bishops ask Sri Lankan government not to change 13th Amendment to Constitution
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
June 10, Colombo: The Catholic bishops of Sri Lanka have requested the government not to proceed with amending the 13th Amendment to the Constitution although the amendment may not be perfect.
In a statement the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka today requested the government not to proceed with amending the 13th Amendment or totally repeal it but to discuss with all relevant parties on drawing up a totally new Constitution which is fair by all communities.
“The 13thAmendment of the National Constitution is a system that by large allows the greater participation of the people in the matter of governance,” the statement signed by the Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith on behalf of the organization said.
It said that although the 13th Amendment may not be perfect, pondering on this constitutional provision may lead to over centralization of authority and to international meddling in the internal affairs of this country at a time when Sri Lanka is striving to make permanent the hard won peace.
Stating that the problem in the North is a national question, for which the solution is to be found by the local political leadership of both Sinhala and Tamil communities, the bishops advised the government not to proceed with the proposed revision to the 13th Amendment or to its total repeal.
The bishops advised the government to discuss the 13th Amendment through a Parliamentary Select Committee and consider a totally new Constitution which would guarantee “justice, peace and prosperity for all citizens of the country regardless of their ethnic, religious or social differences.”
June 10th, 2013 at 8:34 pm
Birds of a Feather …. Flock Together: TNA, SLMC, Communist Party (CP), and Catholic Bishops.
Without a DOUBT, the UNP, under Ranil Wickremasinghe’s treacherous “Leadership” will join them too.
But, not to worry: Despite these PARASITES, The VAST MAJORITY of the People of Sri Lanka are PATRIOTS!
Rise Up …. O Patriots of Mother Lanka …. in your TENS of MILLIONS to SECURE PEACE & SECURITY for yourselves and UNTOLD FUTURE GENERATIONS!
REPEAL the 13th Amendment and DEMOLISH the Provincial Councils! DEMAND a NATIONWIDE REFERENDUM to REPEAL these FOREIGN SHACKLES that will BIND and YOKE Mother Lanka to Communal Discord in Perpetuity!
Your NOBLE PURPOSE is to DEMOLISH FOREVER all SPECIAL PRIVILEGES given to Communal Groups …. assigned on the basis of Race, Religion, Language, Caste and Sex.
Rise Up … O Patriots of Mother Lanka …. Your Country Needs you NOW!
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Sri Lanka Muslim party decides to oppose any changes to 13th Amendment
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
June 11, Colombo: The Parliamentary Group of Sri Lanka’s major Muslim party, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) unanimously resolved yesterday to express opposition to any moves to make changes to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
The SLMC parliamentary group met at the Colombo residence of party leader and Justice Minister Rauf Hakeem on Monday June 10th 2013 and all eight MPs of the party came to the decision unanimously to oppose any moves that curtail the powers allocated to the Provincial councils.
SLMC General Secretary Hasan Ali said the party will officially write to the President Mahinda Rajapaksa informing the SLMC decision before the next cabinet meeting scheduled for Thursday June 13th.
The decision will be conveyed to the Cabinet of Ministers by party leader Rauf Hakeem on that day.
In addition to the SLMC leader Chairman of the party Minister of Productivity Promotion Basheer Segu Dawood, Trincomalee district MP M.S. Thowfeek, Ampara district MPs H.M.M. Harees and Faizal Cassim, Wanni district MP M.B. Farook and National list MPs M.T. Hasan Ali and Mohamed Aslam participated in the SLMC meeting.
June 10th, 2013 at 11:36 pm
Pusillanimous Politicians FIDDLE while SEPARATISTS and Anti_National Forces PREPARE to DIVIDE UP Sri Lanka!
INDECISIVE, INEFFECTIVE, UNCARING, DISGUSTING!
The VAST MAJORITY of the People of Sri Lanka ELECTED you and PLACED their lives in your hands … to ACT in the NATIONAL INTEREST! DO SO NOW!
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13A: President tells EPDP, JHU to speak their minds
by Shamindra Ferdinando
Island.lk
June 10, 2013
President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday assured EPDP leader and Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Minister Douglas Devananda that the Government would not interfere in his ongoing protest campaigns against proposed changes to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
President Rajapaksa told Minister Devananda that he could freely voice his position as regards the issue in Parliament.
The EPDP and SLMC have strongly opposed far-reaching proposals to do away with the rights of two provinces or more to merge in accordance with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. And, the second contentious issue has been the government proposal to repeal the Constitutional requirement that the consent of all provincial councils was necessary for the enactment of legislation in parliament that infringe on their powers.
Senior Government sources told The Island last night that President Rajapaksa had held a separate meeting with and JHU General Secretary and Technology, Research and Atomic Energy Minister Patali Chamipka Ranawaka to discuss the ongoing JHU campaign calling for the abolition of the 13th amendment.
Sources said that President Rajapaksa also told the JHU delegation led by Minister Ranawaka that the party could continue with its campaign and the government would not interfere with it.
The JHU was also told that it could freely voice its position in Parliament.
Asked whether the President had called National Freedom Front leader Minister Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa for a meeting, the sources said that the NFF leader was not among those invited for talks at Temple Trees yesterday.
Sources said that the President decided to meet the EPDP and JHU in the wake of a sharp division in the SLFP-led ruling coalition over the first Northern Provincial council election to be held under the current constitution.
There could be further meetings among UPFA partners within the next few days to iron out differences, government sources added.