Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP Lakshman Kiriella said there was an attempt by the government to "meddle with" the content of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCOI) report on Easter Sunday attacks.

Addressing a press conference, Kiriella said there was no need to appoint a ministerial committee to study the recommendations of the report if the government had no intention to meddle with its content.

"The PCOI report should have been presented to the Attorney General. That is the due procedure. The AG's Department can study the report and arrive at decisions on what needs to be done," he added.

The SJB said some content included in the PCOI report did not sit well with the government.

"That is why they wanted to appoint a committee comprising politicians to study a PCOI report prepared by three learned judges. Especially, the evidence given by the wife of Zaharan Hasim was crucial win order to find out who was behind the Easter Sunday attacks," Kiriella added.

Many parties, including Colombo Archbishop Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, have criticised the government over the appointment of a committee to study the PCOI report.