Ranil Wickremesinghe Sworn In As Interim President Of Sri Lanka

Mumbai: Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as interim president on Friday after Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abbewardene accepted Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s resignation.

The Daily Mirror administered the oath of office to Wickremesinghe as acting president before Chief Justice Jayant Jayasuriya, citing the Prime Minister’s media division.

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Wickremesinghe was appointed as acting president by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on July 13 after the latter fled to the Maldives due to massive protests demanding his resignation. Gotabaya Rajapaksa submitted his resignation yesterday after arriving in Singapore, officially vacating the presidency.

Parliament Speaker Abhay Vardhan told ANI, “Yes, the resignation (of the President) has been accepted, the legal process will be followed… Members will be invited (to elect the President) tomorrow.”

Addressing the press conference, Abhay Vardhan said that with effect from July 14, the President has legally resigned from his legal duties and responsibilities. Abhay Vardhan said that the election of the President will be done in accordance with the provisions of 2 of the Special Provisions Act 1981 and Article 40 of the Constitution.

“It is my intention to complete this procedure successfully and speedily. As the oldest democracy in the South Asian region holding Democratic traditions sacred, completing this process in a transparent and Democratic manner would be a milestone not only in the history of Sri Lanka but also in the Democratic history of the world,” the Speaker added.

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