SL Parliament to elect new president next week: Speaker

Colombo : The Sri Lankan Parliament will elect the new president to succeed Gotabaya Rajapaksa on July 20, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena announced on Monday. The decision was taken during a crucial all-party leaders meeting held earlier in the day. President Rajapaksa is yet to resign formally, however, he informed the Speaker on Saturday that he will quit on July 13. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also said that he will step down after a new government is formed. After receiving Rajapaksa’s resignation on Wednesday, Parliament will convene on July 15 to announce the vacancy and will reconvene on July 19 to accept the nominations for the post, Speaker Abeywardena said. A parliamentary ballot will be held on July 20 to elect the new president, he said.