The responsibility to pass the Amendment lies with Parliament, the President said addressing Heads of Media Institutions at the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday (19). He further said Parliament will be dissolved and a General Elections will be held after an agreement is reached on the 20th Amendment to the constitution and after establishing a Constitutional Council.  He also reiterated that there are several pending issues that need to be ironed out by the present before Parliament before it is dissolved.

"I believe a new Parliament will be established by September,” the President added.

Investigations into human rights were also discussed at the meeting. 

The President said the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission will commence investigations from next month while a committee is expected to be appointed in this regard. He emphasised that international investigators will not be allowed into Sri Lanka to investigate the war allegations. Instead a domestic mechanism will be setup in June and those found to have violated human rights regulations will be brought before a local tribunal.

He said it is the responsibility of the government to protect those who sacrificed themselves for the country adding the present government stance on human rights has been accepted by the international community and the United Nations.