He said according to the 17th amendment, there are conditions to be fulfilled for the formation of Constitutional Council.

Appointments to the Council have to be nominated by various parties including the President.

"All except minor parties have yet to nominate a person from among themselves", he said.

However, TNA, JVP, Muslim Congress and other minor parties have not been able to make a nomination as there are disagreement among them, Minister Gunasekera said.

Accepting that it is the responsibility of the government to resolve issues before this, Minister Gunasekera said that president could not make nominations on behalf of smaller parties.

He said to overcome the current deadlock government could propose two alternatives; one is for speaker to mediate and ask parties to come to an agreement and the other is to bring about an amendment to the effect that the constitutional council could be formed without smaller parties.