The two leaders also reached agreement to hold the election under the present electoral system.

These agreements are in view of a promise given to the people that a parliamentary election will be held soon and due to at least six months being needed to re-demarcate electoral divisions under the new system and to obtain public view regarding the same.

However, several opposition parties including the SLFP have asked the next election be held under the new system, which will be a combination of the first-past-the-post and the proportional representation systems, which was also a key condition they had laid down when supporting the 19th amendment.

The minister noted that it took more than two years to demarcate the electoral divisions in 1974.