Sri Lankan President may dissolve the present parliament and announce fresh elections immediately upon the passage of the 20th Constitutional Amendment Bill on Electoral Reforms. Speaking to the press in Colombo today, senior minister in Maithripala Sirisena government, Mangala Samaraweera said that the electoral reforms bill will be presented in the parliament as early as next week and should be passed by the 19th of this month. He said that the President is likely to dissolve the parliament immediately after this and call for a fresh election. He added that care will have to be taken to see that the electoral reforms do not marginalize small parties and the minorities of the country.
One more year remains for the tenure of the current parliament but both President Maithripala and Prime Minister Ranil Wickermasinghe have spoken of the need to go back to the people for a fresh mandate. Prime Minister Wickeramasinghe is heading a minority United National Party government that is being supported by Sri Lanka Freedom Party of President Sirisena.