Ranil sworn in as Acting President, Court bars Mahinda from leaving SL

In Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has sworn in as the Acting President before Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya on Friday morning. He was sworn in after the acceptance of the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Sri Lankan Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena has said that Parliament will meet on Saturday as President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignation was accepted.  He said, it was expected to elect a new President through Parliament within seven days in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.
The Speaker also said, in terms of the Constitution, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will function in the capacity of the acting President overseeing functions, duties, and powers of the office of the President until the procedure of electing a new President is over.  “It is my intention to complete this procedure successfully and speedily. As the oldest democracy in the South Asian region holding Democratic traditions sacred, completing this process in a transparent and Democratic manner would be a milestone not only in the history of Sri Lanka but also in the Democratic history of the world,” the Speaker added. The newly-elected president is likely to appoint a new prime minister, who would then have to be approved by Parliament.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's top court on Friday barred former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa from leaving the country without permission until July 28, anti-corruption group Transparency International Sri Lanka said. 

Undertaking by the 6th (WD Lakshman), 7th(Ajith Nivard Cabral) and 10th Respondents (SR Attygalle) NOT to travel without the permission of Court, is also extended till the 28th of July. Case is to be supported for full leave to proceed on the 27th of July. #EconomicCrisisLK #lka

— Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) (@tisrilanka) July 15, 2022

Three other former officials, including two former central bank governors, also cannot travel outside the country without the court's permission till July 28, the group said in a tweet.