Rajapaksa to invite TNA for constitutional talks

[TamilNet, Saturday, 17 July 2010, 00:10 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa led government has decided to extend an invitation to both the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) for discussions with regard to proposed constitutional reforms. The invitation follows a reported successful round of talks with the country’s main opposition, the United National Party (UNP).

The state owned Dinamina newspaper, quoting senior government minister Maithripala Sirisena, stated that moves are underway to finalise the forthcoming constitutional reforms which is currently being drafted by Sri Lanka's Attorney General’s Department.

The proposed amendments once finalized will then be forwarded to parliament for ratification, Mr Srisena said, according to the paper.

Mr. Sri sena also announced that moves are afoot to hold next year’s municipal council and provincial council elections in accordance to the proposed new electoral reforms, which are expected to be passed in parliament in the coming months.