COLOMBO: President Maithripala Sirisena has convened Parliament on Novemebr 5 in a bid to resolve the political crisis in the island after he appointed former president Mahinda Rajapaksa as prime minister, dismissing incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe last week.
Rajapaksa on Thursday said Sirisena had informed him of the reconvening of the prorogued Parliament on the 5th of this month.
"The people's voices have been heard. Parliament will be reconvened on the 5th of November," tweeted Wickremensinghe in response.
"Democracy will prevail," he said.
Sirisena's latest move came a day after he met Speaker Karu Jayasuriya and the country's attorney general refused to endorse the replacement of Wickramasinghe and as pressure mounted on him to resolve the turmoil.
Without consulting the Speaker, Sirisena had prorogued Parliament on October 27 until November 16.
The Permanent Representative of the United Nations in Sri Lanka, Hanna Singer, Ambassador of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Tung-Laï Margue, British High Commissioner James Dauris, High Commissioner of Canada David Mackinnon and Ambassador of Germany Jorn Rohde on Wednesday met with the speaker.
The envoys expressed concern over the political developments and pointed out the adverse consequences Sri Lanka could face as a result of the constitutional crisis.
The President has also come under increasing pressure from the civil societies and legislators.
On Tuesday, thousands of Sri Lankans protested in the capital demanding Sirisena immediately convene Parliament.
Meanwhile, it was reported that the Central Committee of Sri Lanka Freedom Party would meet this evening at the President's House.
This is the first meeting of the Committee after Rajapaksa was appointed as the new premier and the establishment of the new government.
SLFP General Secretary Rohana Lakshman Piyadasa said that they expect to discuss the current political situation in the country at the meeting.