Mahinda Rajapaksa became President for a six-year term in 2005 though his victory margin was low. Under the Sri Lankan constitution, he can stand only for one more term. That election is due in 2011. The ST story said the government was proposing to introduce constitutional amendments aimed at extending the term of office of Mr. Rajapaksa as his popularity soared  high after crushing the 25-year –old insurgency  of Tamil Tigers for separate Eelam. The daily quoted Janaka Bandara Tennakoon, Minister of Provincial Councils as saying that some sections in the government had requested Rajapaksa to continue in office without holding election.

Minister of Mass Media, Information and Enterprise Development, Anura Priyadharshana Yapa has since denied the report. ‘There is no such decision (get second term without elections) because there is no need for us to go without an election’. He asserted President Rajapaksa believed in ‘peoples’ mandate.

In a statement, Yapa said  ‘The United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) led by President Mahinda  Rajapaksa firmly believes in the peoples’ mandate and freedom of the voters’ franchise rights, and has no intention to be in power beyond the period mandated by the ballot’.

Dismissing the report in the Sunday Times, Yapa said ‘Rajapaksa would decide on the matter of re-election at appropriate time stipulated by procedures enshrined in the Constitution’.

Sri Lanka’s constitution allows a referendum to extend the office of presidency or parliament for another term. However, the clause is criticized as one that can be used to evade public choice at the end of a term.

Rajapaksa and his Sri Lanka Freedom Party have been harsh critics of the only such referendum held, in 1982 to extend the parliamentary term.