Development Strategies and International Trade Deputy Minister Nalin Bandara yesterday called on Ranil Wickremesinghe to resign as Prime Minister and also to step down from UNP leadership in the light of the heavy defeat suffered by the United National Party-led NDF candidate in the Presidential election.

Former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka D.M. Jayaratne has passed away at the age of 88 at a private hospital in Kandy today.

Former Central Bank Deputy Governor S.R. Attygalle has been appointed as the Secretary to the Treasury and the Finance Ministry by the President today.

Major General (retired) Kamal Gunaratne was appointed as the Secretary to the Defence Ministry by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa assumed duties as the 7th Executive President of Sri Lanka at the Presidential Secretariat a short while ago.

The European Union (EU) states that the fundamental freedoms and rights of the citizens of the country have largely been respected during the Presidential Election in Sri Lanka.

Steps should be taken to ensure that 2/3rds of the members in Parliament give their approval for a dissolution of Parliament and the immediate holding  of a General Election, so that a new Cabinet can be formed, as a new President has been elected by the public, Minister Rajitha Senaratne had stated at the United National Party (UNP) MPs’ meeting yesterday (18).

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi telephoned Sri Lanka’s President-elect Gotabaya Rajapaksa to congratulate him on his electoral victory.

P. B. Jayasundera has been appointed as the Presidential Secretary to the newly-elected President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, leader of the All Ceylon Makkal Congress has congratulated President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on winning the people’s mandate at the Presidential Election 2019.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa says that he will establish a new government that can implement his policies.

President-elect Gotabaya Rajapaksa was sworn in as the 7th Executive President of Sri Lanka at the Maha Maluwa of the Ruwanweliseya in Anuradhapura a short while ago.

Several Ministers including Mangala Samaraweera, Harin Fernando, Ajith P Perara, Malik Samaraweera, Kabir Hashim have announced their resignation from posts.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has extended his congratulations to Gotabaya Rajapaksa on being elected the 7th Executive President of Sri Lanka.

President-elect Gotabaya Rajapaksa will be sworn in as the 7th Executive President of Sri Lanka at the Maha Maluwa of the Ruwanweliseya in Anuradhapura today.

Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa issuing a statement yesterday requested all party activists and supporters to celebrate the presidential election victory of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, peacefully and without causing inconvenience to anyone.