Local Government and Provincial Council Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon said he got to know about the Provincial Council elections being held in June through newspaper reports.

Addressing a press conference, Tennakoon said he, as the subject minister, was not aware of any such development.

"We are now in March. So how can we conduct the election in June," Tennakoon asked the journalist.

Before conducting the election, the government will have to pass legislation in Parliament allowing the Elections Commission to conduct the PC election under the old (PR) electoral system.

However, several media reports stated that the government was preparing to hold the Provincial Council election in June in the face of pressure exerted by India to fully implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. However, an influential group within the government is pushing for the postponement of the Provincial Council election until the adoption of the proposed new Constitution.