President Maithripala Sirisena said the Presidential Secretariat should not be held responsible for the delays in appointing heads of state institutions. 

Speaking to a group of SLFP organizers at his office yesterday, Sirisena the Presidential Secretariat had acted on all files it received from the Prime Minister's Office. 

"I am yet to receive many files from the Prime Minister's Office. Don't hold me responsible for the current delay. It is the Prime Minister's Office that should respond to questions. I understand that there is an attempt to discredit the Presidential Secretariat for delays in appointments, " Sirisena said. 

Sirisena said even after three weeks since the appointment of the government, the UNP ministers have failed to appoint heads for state institutions coming under their purview. 

Meanwhile, Sirisena also added that there seemed to be a delay on the part of the UNP to go for the Provincial Council elections. 

"Six Provincial Councils are non-functional at the moment. Although governors have been appointed, elections must be held without delay. The UNP is talking about a Presidential elections to divert the attention from the Provincial Council elections, " Sirisena added.