General Election will be held - President informs

General Election will be held ....

immediately after Constitution is amended- President informs

The President announced today that after the 19th amendment of the constitution the parliament would

be dissolved and will head towards a general election.

The next general election would be conducted according to the present system after the new amendments have been added for limiting the executive powers of the President and which will take place under the amendment of the constitution and will be governed under a prime minister who would be responsible to the parliament. Though the SLFP leaders have requested that the election be held after these amendments with a change in the election system and also after a prolonged period of time, the UNP and other minor Parties have not agreed to this suggestion. The SLFP had made this request because of the difficulty of preparing for the general election close at hand while the UNP on the other hand had requested for an election at a closer date as they would not be able to reap any gain for themselves.

In the process, since it could prove disadvantageous to go into the 'kevala' electoral system, the JVP, Muslim Congress and other minor Parties have expressed their dislike for the amendment of the electoral system. Whatever it is, what will be the fate of the promises still remaining to be implemented if a general election is held after the 19th amendment, is still not clear.