Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has been appointed acting president, announces the Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.
President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, who arrived in the Maldives after being on the run since Saturday, handed over his responsibilities to Ranil earlier today. The announcement was made by the Speaker of the Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.
Before the announcement, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had announced his assumption of office, he deployed more troops and declared a curfew to quell protesters outside the prime minister's office. However, some media quoted officials as saying the prime minister did so illegally against the constitution.
The army also used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd near the prime minister’s office.
The office of the Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament confirmed that President Rajapaksa has not received his resignation letter by the time the Prime Minister declared a state of emergency.
President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, who arrived in the Maldives after being on the run since Saturday, handed over his responsibilities to Ranil earlier today. The announcement was made by the Speaker of the Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.
Before the announcement, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had announced his assumption of office, he deployed more troops and declared a curfew to quell protesters outside the prime minister's office. However, some media quoted officials as saying the prime minister did so illegally against the constitution.
The army also used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd near the prime minister’s office.
The office of the Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament confirmed that President Rajapaksa has not received his resignation letter by the time the Prime Minister declared a state of emergency.
