<div><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Amidst continuing political stalemate in Sri Lanka, a minister in the government has claimed that President has the power to dissolve Parliament if the vote of account presented by the new government is defeated. </span></div><br />''<br />''Minister of Education Dr Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, told the media in Colombo last evening that if the vote on account is not approved, there will arise a situation where the government is unable to function. <br />''<br />''<br />''He said the President can opt to dissolve Parliament to resuscitate the country from an anarchic situation and it is a conventional practice. His statement assumes significance as the 19th amendment to the constitution has put a bar of four and half years before which parliament cannot be dissolved. <br />'' <br />''Sri Lankan Parliament will complete its term in August 2020 and cannot be dissolved before February 2020. But the minister, who was one of the five MPs to switch over to the new government of Mahinda Rajapaksa, said the President has powers to dissolve Parliament without waiting for four and half years under conventional practices. <br />'' <br />''It is noteworthy that the new Prime minister has also said, holding of early parliamentary elections as his priority. The new government is expected to bring the vote of accounts when parliament convenes on 16th November.<br />''<br />''<br />''<br />''<br />''<br />''<br />''<br />