COLOMBO: Sri Lanka, which is practically without a leader and completely insolvent, chose to elect a new president from the parliament on July 20.

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena made the announcement after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa officially informed him that he would quit  on July 13, as he promised earlier. To determine the next steps in appointing an all-party government, the Speaker called more than 35 political party representatives from both the government and the opposition. Also present at the meeting was Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

"It was resolved to call a special session of Parliament on July 15 and to make a statement on the open position of Presidency. Nominations would be requested on July 19 in order to elect a new President on July 20 in the Parliament.

As per the Constitutional norms,  when the post of President is vacated, Parliament should be summoned within 3 days and announcement should be made calling for nomination to appoint a new President. After that, within two days, an election should be held," it said.

The cabinet ministers informed Wickremesinghe of their decision to cede control of the government to an upcoming all-party administration / government during their meeting with him on Saturday morning.

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