Sri Lanka on knife-edge over delay in Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignation

Colombo: Sri Lanka is on a knife-edge as Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignation failed to arrive even on Thursday. The country is in a state of emergency with anger boiling protests across the nation.

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena is considering legal advice to see if it could be considered that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has vacated his office, even without a letter of resignation as Mahanayake Theras called on the Speaker earlier in the day to immediately summon Parliament and restore law and order.

Media reported that a private jet landed in Maldives and Gotabaya Rajapaksa was all set to depart Maldives for Singapore. Some said his final destination could be the UAE a day after the fleeing the Rajapaksas took an Air Force flight to Maldives.

His resignation was expected by 1 pm on July 13, but nothing of the sort happened and instead a confused and angry population in Sri Lankans continued to await for their embattled president's resignation hours after he fled the country.

The Speaker announced Rajapaksa has nominated his Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as acting President in his absence which fueled more protests.

Protests have now followed Rajapaksa to the Maldives with Sri Lankan expatriates protesting near Maldivian President's house, demanding to expel him from that country.

Sri Lankan authorities on Thursday lifted the curfew that was imposed since last evening till 5 am, in the Western province after the eruption of violence in the capital here.

The security authorities are discussing imposing of a curfew in the Colombo district from 12 pm on Thursday to 5 am on Friday. (UNI)