Sri Lanka, June 27 -- President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday declared that the 19th Amendment to the Constitution (19A) was "a curse on the country" and should be abolished.

The President, addressing a meeting with the heads of news media institutions at the President's House, Colombo, yesterday morning, said that abolishing the 19th Amendment should be a priority before or after the next Presidential Election as it would create instability in the country irrespective of the person who becomes the President. Stating that a Parliamentary general election would be held two months after the Presidential Elections, which was due at the end of this year, the President opined that it was better to get rid of 19A before the General Elections....