The main party in Sri Lanka's governing coalition says it's planning to push forward legislation to allow opposition MPs to cross to the government side.

And it's warned that if it doesn't succeed, it will call for an early general election.

At present MPs are not allowed to change parties.

The BBC Colombo correspondent says the move is part of government plans to secure a two-thirds majority in parliament, so it can bring in a devolution package aimed at ending the country's civil war.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service