The dispute over the date for Sri Lanka's next presidential election took a new turn here Tuesday when the ruling party filed court action to seek an order for the election chief to hold the election in 2006.

A spokesman for Irrigation Minister Maithripala Sirisena who is also the general secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) said that a petition was filed in the Supreme Court asking the Commissioner of Elections to require him to hold the election not before 2006.

Sirisena in his petition said that incumbent President Chandrika Kumaratunga was elected in December 1999 and she took fresh oaths as the president in November 2000 when her second term officially began.

Therefore she was entitled to hold the position until 2006. The main opposition United National Party has argued that, according to the country 's constitution, presidential election must be held every six years, and, therefore, the election falls due this year.

The Elections Chief Dayananda Dissanayake is expected to make an independent ruling on the dispute soon.

In a press interview he had hinted that the election could be held this year.

Sirisena in his plaint had also asked the Supreme Court to dismiss a petition filed by another opposition party JHU or the Heritage Party.

The JHU filed action last week urging an order to require the holding of the election this year. The Supreme Court was expected to make its decision on the JHU's plea on August 22.

Source: Xinhua