Special party leaders meeting this week to decide on Parliament's future

A special party leaders meeting will be held this week to take a final decision on future matters pertaining to the Parliament, the Speaker’s Office said in a press release.

This was after ruling party presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa lost the election to opposition-backed presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, and other party leaders had held discussions with Speaker Karu Jayasuriya on the future matters of the Parliament, the release said.

Sri Lanka's constitution grants the Parliament a term of five years which will end in August 2020.

However, the Parliament could be dissolved by the President on March 1, 2020 after completing four-and-a-half years, or by obtaining a two-thirds majority in Parliament.

The Parliament could continue to function until the next Parliamentary election if the government parliamentarians switch sides, the Speaker's office noted.