Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has expressed dismay over the reports suggesting dilution of certain key provisions of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution by the Sri Lankan government ahead of elections to the Northern Provincial Council.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbarruddin said, the Prime Minister is deeply concerned about the welfare and well-being of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka.

During a meeting with Tamil National Alliance, TNA delegation in New Delhi, Dr. Singh reiterated that India will make every effort to ensure the future for the community marked by equality, justice and self-respect.

The six-member TNA delegation led by R. Sampanthan, which arived in India on Sunday, had earlier called on the External Affairs Minister and the National Security Adviser.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Singhala-Buddhist nationalist party, the JHU, introduced a bill in the parliament yesterday to abolish the Provincial Councils.