Strong speculations are rife that President Maithripala Sirisena will dissolve Parliament tonight as he has failed to muster a majority to solidify Mahinda Rajapaksa's position as the Prime Minister. 

According to the 19th Amendment, the President is barred from dissolving Parliament before four and a half years into its term. Sources close to the President, however, said Sirisena would circumvent the constitutional barriers by exploiting a "loophole" in the amendment which he architected in April 2015. 

The UNP, the JVP, and the TNA have vehemently opposed to the dissolution of Parliament. The UPFA, led by Sirisena himself, has backed the move. 

However, informed political sources said Sirisena had also sought the possibility of holding a referendum seeking a direct mandate from the people to form a Caretaker Government with Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister.