Sri Lanka's president under fire

President Chandrika Kumaratunga told the nation on Tuesday that a secret swearing-in ceremony had extended her term by a year - until the end of 2006.

GL Peiris, a spokesman for the prime minister, said the president's move was undemocratic and illegal.

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The president and the prime minister's feud has paralysed efforts to make peace with Sri Lankan Tamil rebels.

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Talks aimed at ending their decades-long civil war ground to a halt last year, after the president seized several key ministries, claiming Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe had jeopardised national security.

Mr Peiris told reporters the government believed the president must leave office by the end of next year.

"That degree of arrogance is unacceptable with regard to the tenure of any public position," he said.

"No-one who holds public office is in a position to say that they will decide for themselves when their office comes to an end."

Mr Peiris said the government did not believe there was a legal argument in support of the president's move.

He said he had never heard of a country where the president took part in a secret swearing-in ceremony without the knowledge of parliament and the people.