A Sri Lankan court Monday, 3 December, barred Mahinda Rajapaksa from acting as Prime Minister.
Earlier a CNN-New18 report said, Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena may repeal the order to dissolve the Assembly.
Another source told the TV channel that Sirisena wanted a “dignified exit” by recalling the dissolution order as the top court was unlikely to rule in his favour.
Earlier on 9 November, Sirisena had dissolved the parliament in order to “avoid violence in the House” and announced snap elections for January.
The state plunged into a political crisis when, on 26 October, President Sirisena sacked then-prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and appointed strongman ex-prime minister Rajapaksa as the new PM.
- Opponents of Rajapaksa win control of panel in Parliament
- Sri Lankan Parliament met again on 23 November
- A select committee to conduct parliamentary affairs was to be formed
- Lawmakers had submitted a motion to suspend Rajapaksa’s expenses on 19 November
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Ongoing Crisis One Between Foreign and Local Values: Sirisena
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has described the ongoing political crisis in the country as one between foreign and local values.
"This is an issue between those who believe in foreign thinking and those who respect local values", Sirisena said Sunday, addressing a gathering in his home base Polonnaruwa.
He also accused "foreign forces" of intimidating him.
(PTI)
Sirisena Says Lankan Political Crisis to End in 7 Days
President Maithripala Sirisena in a tweet on 4 December, said that the current political will not drag beyond seven days.
“The current political crisis will not drag on beyond seven days. I have always taken decisions in the best interest of the country and the people,” his tweet read.
Ranil Wickremesinghe Likens Maithripala Sirisena to Hitler
Sri Lanka's toppled premier likened the President Maithripala Sirisena to Hitler on Tuesday, 4 December, as he demanded to be reinstated, almost six weeks into a paralysing political crisis in the Indian Ocean nation.
Ranil Wickremesinghe made the comments -- his strongest yet directed at the head of state -- at the prime minister's official residence, which he has refused to vacate since his dismissal in October.
"The president has to appoint me prime minister as I command a majority in parliament," he said.
(Source: NDTV)
Rajapaksa to Move SC Against Order Barring Him From Acting as PM
Sri Lankan strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was appointed premier in a controversial move by President Maithripala Sirisena, will move the Supreme Court Tuesday against a lower court order, which barred him from acting as prime minister.
The Court of Appeal temporary on Monday, 3 December, halted Rajapaksa and his Cabinet from functioning in their positions in response to a case filed by 122 legislators against the disputed government.
The court set the hearing of the case for December 12 and 13.
"We will not agree with the interim order issued by the Court of Appeal today suspending the cabinet. We will appeal to the Supreme Court tomorrow against it," Rajapaksa said in a press statement.
He said it was the Supreme Court, which has the power to interpret the Constitution.
The interim ruling was a major blow to both President Sirisena and Rajapaksa after the former had appointed his ex-rival as the prime minister on October 26, plunging the country into a major constitutional crisis.