Akila disputes Rajitha claims

Denying the statement made by Minister Rajitha Senaratne that the Cabinet had decided to hold the next general election under a new electoral system, his colleague

At the same time he mentioned that discussions were on with regard to the electoral reforms and the constitutional reforms as a whole among all political parties.

and United National Party ( UNP) official Spokesman and Deputy General Secretary Akila Viraj Kaiyawasam yesterday said the Cabinet had not made such a decision.

Minister Kariyawasam told a media briefing in Colombo that no final decision had been made on the election reforms yet. He said the UNP had agreed that the present Proportional Representation system should be abolished but believed that general elections should be held after the present regime completed hundred days in office.

He said the general elections would be held as soon as possible. “The election may be delayed by a few days but it will be held soon after the 100-day programme is over,” Mr. Kariyawasam said.

He said UNP would play a major role in making the final decision. At the same time he mentioned that discussions were on with regard to the electoral reforms and the constitutional reforms as a whole among all political parties. He said that it was his party which got the incumbent President Maithripala Sirisena elected and that he was more or less a UNP President.

He defied the claim made by some SLFP members that Mr. Sirisena is their President. “Those SLFPers who criticised Mr. Sirisena during the Presidential Election cannot claim him to be their president now,” he said. and United National Party (UNP) official Spokesman and Deputy General Secretary Akila Viraj Kaiyawasam said the Cabinet had not made such a decision.