COLOMBO (News 1st): Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the 8th Executive President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in the presence of the Chief Justice on Thursday (21).

Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected as the new President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka following a vote in Parliament on Wednesday (20).

He received 134 votes , while the other candidates Dullas Alahapperuma obtained 82 votes, and Anura Kumara secured 3 votes.

223 Members of Parliament cast their votes in Parliament on Wednesday (20). and 2 MPs abstained from voting. Four votes were considered invalid and the number of valid votes was 219.

This was the first time in the history of Sri Lanka that a vote took place in Parliament to elect a succeeding President, following the post being left vacant by Gotabaya Rajapaksa who resigned on the 14th of July 2022.

Although there was one previous experience of electing a president by parliament in Sri Lanka, this time is special.

In 1993, given the demise of former President Ranasinghe Premadasa, D.B. Wijetunga was elected for the remainder of the term of President unanimously, without a poll as the succeeding President.

But this time, as several candidates had come forward a poll was held. Accordingly, it will be marked as a new experience in the parliamentary history of this country.

The names of three Members of Parliament were proposed and seconded in the Parliament on Tuesday (19) for the vacancy of the Presidency, with the resignation of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Accordingly, the names of Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Member of Parliament Dullas Alahapperuma, and Member of Parliament Anura Kumara Dissanayake were proposed.

• Russian Security Council Secretary in Sri Lanka for meetings with President, Defence officials
• Shipping companies offering millions to jump long lines for drought-stricken Panama Canal
• Sri Lanka Assures Continued Commitment for UN Peacekeeping
• 16-hour water cut to several areas in Colombo
• Postal workers protest opposite Diyatha Uyana