Sirisena issues gazette notice making Rajapaksa Lanka's PM
Colombo, Oct 27 : Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena on Saturday issued two extraordinary gazette notices making controversial strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa the new Prime Minister and formally recognising Ranil Wickremesinghe's dramatic dismissal, leading to a constitutional crisis in the island nation.
Hours after sacking his former ally Wickremesinghe, Sirisena issued two gazette notices. First notice is on Wickremesinghe being removed as prime minister and the other on the appointment of Rajapaska as the new permeir, Colombo Gazette reported.
Wickremesinghe, however, has asserted that the swearing in of Rajapaksa in his place is "illegal and unconstitutional" and he will prove his majority in Parliament.
The United National Party (UNP) leader on Friday vowed to carry on as prime minister despite being removed by Sirisena. "I will continue to be the Prime Minister. Mahinda Rajapaksa's appointment is unconstitutional," Wickremesinghe said.
After Rajapaksa took oath at the Presidential Secretariat here Friday, Sirisena wrote to Wickremesinghe, saying he had been removed.
"I had appointed you as the prime minister under (article) 42 (1) of the Constitution and as your appointing authority, I write to notice that you have been removed from the post of prime minister," Sirisena said in the letter.
The sudden development came amid growing tensions between Sirisena and Wickremesinghe on several policy matters and the president has been critical of the prime Minister and his policies, especially on economy and security.
Reacting sharply to his sacking, Wickremesinghe on Friday said that he will continue to be the prime minister till he enjoys the majority in Parliament.
"Only I have the majority. The only way that can be changed is through a no confidence motion or if I resign," Wickremesinghe said referring to the 19th amendment to the Constitution.
Parliamentary Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has said he will decide Saturday whether to recognise Rajapakse or not, after seeking legal advice.
In April, Wickremesinghe successfully defeated a no trust motion in Parliament engineered by Sirisena with backing from Rajapaksa.
The UNP, however, suffered one defection after Rajapaksa was sworn in with Ananda Aluthgamage meeting the former president and extending him support.
The political developments unfolded after Sirisena's broader political front United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) announced that it has decided to quit the current unity government with Wickremesinghe's UNP.
The unity government was formed in 2015 when Sirisena was elected President with Wickremesinghe's support, ending a nearly decade-long rule by Rajapaksa.
Rajapaksa's return to power ends a more than three-year-old coalition government that was formed by Sirisena and Wickremesinghe on a promise to combat corruption and financial irregularities.
Sirisena, who was Rajapaksa's minister of health, broke away from him to contest the presidential elections.
Political analysts said Sirisena's move to install Rajapaksa as the prime minister could lead to a constitutional crisis as the 19th amendment to the Constitution would not allow the sacking of Wickremesinghe as the premier without a majority.
Rajapaksa and Sirisena combine has only 95 seats and is short of a simple majority. Wickremesinghe's UNP has 106 seats on its own with just seven short of the majority.
The unity government was thrown into a crisis after Rajapaksa's new party pulled off a stunning victory in local elections in February seen as a referendum on the ruling alliance.
Last week, it was reported that Sirisena accused his senior coalition partner the UNP of not taking seriously an alleged conspiracy to assassinate him and Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the former top defence ministry bureaucrat and brother of ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Sri Lanka nearly faced economic sanctions from the West over Rajapakse's brutal military crackdown on the banned Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The LTTE sought a separate Tamil homeland in the northern and eastern provinces of the island nation for nearly 30 years before its collapse in 2009 after the Sri Lankan Army killed its supreme leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.
Rajapaksa and his family were facing several cases of corruption and financial irregularities.
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New Controversy : Santy Sharma’s Reaction to Khushi Mukherjee’s Video Sparks Conversation
After rapper and singer Santy Sharma's reaction to Khushi Mukherjee's provocative photo/video posts on social media, people on different platforms are now having a heated debate. The comments made by Santy were soon spread across social media and opened the door for conversations surrounding the type of content that is being posted by public figures on social media.
In his view, digital platforms provide a way to express themselves through creativity and art; however, he feels it is important for celebrities/influencers with a large number of followers to be mindful of how their content may be perceived by others. According to him, people who possess a large following online have a level of responsibility regarding the actions they display via their social media and should be cognizant of what type of example they are setting for the youth.
Lastly, creating art should inspire creativity as well as allow users to use their voices to support necessary change in society; therefore, creativity and expression through digital platforms should produce positive social change while still being aware of culture and society's expectations.
At the time of writing, Santy Sharma was discussing how online behaviour has contributed to increased rates of rapes, which stimulated much debate and debate online. Supporters have advocated for improved online etiquette, while others feel he was insensitive in his comments and contradicts the need for sensitivity on these sensitive issues. The controversy has gone beyond social media and increased debate regarding gender-based issues, the ethics of media influence, and the necessity to address serious crimes with appropriate awareness and sensitivity.
Meanwhile, Santy Sharma has also announced his upcoming single titled “I Don’t Care,” which is scheduled to release on 10 March 2026. The track will be available on his official YouTube channel and other major music streaming platforms, creating anticipation among fans who are eager to hear his latest musical release.
