President asks PM to step down

Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena with Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe

President Maithripala Sirisena requested United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, on Monday (12), to resign as Prime Minister and appoint another person for the post, according to highly placed sources.

Government source said that the President had made this request during a meeting with the PM at the President’s official residence. There should be a change in the post of Prime Minister and a Cabinet reshuffle, or the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) will not remain in the government, the President has told the Prime Minister, according to sources.

This meeting was held after the President had met UNP Cabinet Ministers, State Ministers and Deputy Ministers. According to Article 46 of the Constitution the President has no power to strip the Prime Minister of his position.

(Source: The Island – By Kushan Subasinghe)