Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed as the Acting President of Sri Lanka

Ranil Wickremesinghe - Prime Minister of Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. (AFP / Ishara S. KODIKARA)

Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Acting President of Sri Lanka in accordance with the Article 37.1 of the Constitution, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardhane said today (July 13).

According to Speaker of House Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Acting President, since he is currently not in the country.

Earlier today, the Office of the Prime Minister and the Sri Lanka Air Force confirmed President Rajapaksa left the island for the Maldives.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was scheduled to hand in his letter of resignation today (July 13).