The Gazette signed by President Maithripala Sirisena dissolving Parliament from midnight today (09) has been issued.
The Gazette states that the General Election to elect new member to Parliament will be held on January 05, 2019 and the new Parliament will be summoned to meet on January 17, 2019.
Meanwhile the period beginning from November 19, 2018 and ending at 12 noon on November 26, 2018 has been specified as the nomination period during which nomination papers will be received by returning officers.
Last month, President Sirisena sacked Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister and named former president Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new prime minister and suspending parliament.
But Mr Wickremesinghe has refused to leave, saying his sacking was illegitimate.
An MP from Mr Wickremesinghe’s United National Party (UNP) said the move to dissolve parliament was “illegal” and said he believed it would be rejected.
“We are requesting the election commission to solve this issue peacefully without creating a bloodbath in the country,” Ajith Perera told the BBC.
