President Maithripala Sirisena has instructed to prorogue Parliament until November 16.

The relevant Extraordinary Gazette Notification has been published today by the Presidential Secretariat.

The Proclamation by the president prorogues Parliament with effect from 12.00 noon on October 27, 2018 and fix 16th of November, 2018 at 10.00 a.m. for the  commencement of the next session.

The President can prorogue Parliament by virtue of the powers vested in him by Article 70 of the Constitution of Sri Lanka.

Under Article 70(4) of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka “All matters which, having being brought before Parliament, have not been disposed of at the prorogation of Parliament, may be proceeded with during the next session.”

The move comes a day after Mahinda Rajapaksa was sworn in as Prime Minister before the President. Prior to that the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) decided to withdraw from the national government with the United National Party (UNP).

However, UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe maintains that he is still the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka as the parliamentary majority is with him.

“It is not necessary for us to create a crisis. It is not necessary for the people of the country to suffer. We are all living in difficult times. Therefore let’s get this controversy out of the way.”

“Let the parliament decide who has the majority and the parliament represent you. It’s you who have elected this parliament and let that parliament decide who has the majority,” he said speaking to reporters today.