Sri Lanka heads for snap polls as Rajapaksa tightens grip
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Splash
  • Features
  • Videos
  • Long Read
  • Games
  • Epaper
  • More
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Subscribe
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard
SUNDAY, MAY 22, 2022
SUNDAY, MAY 22, 2022
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Splash
  • Features
  • Videos
  • Long Read
  • Games
  • Epaper
  • More
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Subscribe
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
Sri Lanka heads for snap polls as Rajapaksa tightens grip

Politics

BSS/AFP
02 March, 2020, 08:50 am
Last modified: 02 March, 2020, 08:56 am

Related News

  • Sri Lanka starts nationwide raid on those hoarding fuel
  • Thousands queue for petrol, gas in Sri Lanka amid warnings of food shortages
  • 'Sheikh Hasina's Bangladesh Model can be saviour for Sri Lanka'
  • Sri Lanka appoints nine new cabinet members
  • 'We are going to die': Sri Lanka warns of food shortages

Sri Lanka heads for snap polls as Rajapaksa tightens grip

Official sources told AFP that a general election was most likely in the final week of April if the 225-member national assembly is dissolved by Monday as widely expected

BSS/AFP
02 March, 2020, 08:50 am
Last modified: 02 March, 2020, 08:56 am
Sri Lanka People's Front party presidential election candidate and former wartime defence chief Gotabaya Rajapaksa leaves after casting his vote during the presidential election in Colombo, Sri Lanka November 16, 2019/ Reuters
Sri Lanka People's Front party presidential election candidate and former wartime defence chief Gotabaya Rajapaksa leaves after casting his vote during the presidential election in Colombo, Sri Lanka November 16, 2019/ Reuters

Sri Lanka's new president is set to dissolve parliament shortly and call snap a legislative election six months ahead of schedule, a state-run newspaper said Sunday.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa is expected to exercise his constitutional power to sack the assembly when it completes four-and-a-half out of its five-year term on Sunday night, the Sunday Observer said.

Rajapaksa, 70, won a landslide at November presidential polls and appointed his older brother and former president Mahinda as prime minister in a move that saw the family consolidate their hold on power.

"The Gazette Extraordinary will be issued announcing the dissolution of the present parliament at the end of the completion of four-and-a-half years in terms of the provisions of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution," the Observer said quoting its sources at Rajapaksa's office.

Official sources told AFP that a general election was most likely in the final week of April if the 225-member national assembly is dissolved by Monday as widely expected.

Mahinda, who had been president twice and prime minister thrice, is expected to lead the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP, or People's Front) party to a comfortable victory.

Political commentators have said it would be a formidable challenge for the opposition to prevent Rajapaksa securing a two-thirds majority which will allow him sweeping powers to govern the nation of 21 million people.

The United National Party (UNP) of former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has been plagued by a debilitating internal power struggle.

The Rajapaksas are adored by the Sinhala-Buddhist majority — but loathed among minority Tamils — for spearheading the defeat of separatist militants in 2009 to end the island's 37-year ethnic war.

Prime Minister Rajapaksa announced last month that the country was withdrawing from a UN resolution investigating alleged war crimes in 2009, a move that was seen as boosting his popularity with the Sinhalese majority.

Mahinda was president when Sri Lankan troops defeated Tamil Tiger guerrillas in 2009, but rights groups accused the army of killing at least 40,000 Tamil civilians in the final months of the conflict, a charge Colombo has denied.

World+Biz / Top News

Sri Lanka / Gotabaya Rajapaksa / Sri Lanka Politics / Snap election

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Photo: Collected
    BSEC seeks explanation from Shakib Al Hasan on gold venture 
  • Court sends Haji Salim to jail rejecting bail plea
    Court sends Haji Salim to jail rejecting bail plea
  • VAT on sales of locally-produced APIs likely to go from FY23
    VAT on sales of locally-produced APIs likely to go from FY23

MOST VIEWED

  • U.S. President Biden speaks to reporters while departing at Des Moines International Airport in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., April 12, 2022. REUTERS/Al Drago
    Biden to launch economic plan for Indo-Pacific region
  • Anthony Albanese, leader of Australia's Labor Party, shows a thumbs up sign while addressing supporters after incumbent Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader Scott Morrison conceded defeat in the country's general election, in Sydney, Australia May 21, 2022. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
    In sharp switch, Australia votes for climate action
  • Anthony Albanese, leader of Australia's Labor Party, addresses supporters after incumbent Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader Scott Morrison conceded defeat in the country's general election, in Sydney, Australia May 21, 2022. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
    Australia's Labor likely win election; independents look to hold sway
  • Voters cast their ballots on the morning of the national election at a Bondi Beach polling station in Sydney, Australia, May 21, 2022. REUTERS/Loren Elliott
    Australian voters head to polls in close-run election
  • Picture: Collected
    US fully backs Sweden and Finland Nato bids: Biden
  • Voters cast their ballots ahead of the national election at an Australian Electoral Commission early voting centre, in the Central Business District of Sydney, Australia, May 17, 2022. REUTERS/Loren Elliott
    Australian election polls show race tightening in final campaign stretch

Related News

  • Sri Lanka starts nationwide raid on those hoarding fuel
  • Thousands queue for petrol, gas in Sri Lanka amid warnings of food shortages
  • 'Sheikh Hasina's Bangladesh Model can be saviour for Sri Lanka'
  • Sri Lanka appoints nine new cabinet members
  • 'We are going to die': Sri Lanka warns of food shortages

Features

Other platform giants are dabbling with ways to copy TikTok. Photo: Bloomberg

Why everybody wants to be like TikTok

1h | Panorama
Illustration: TBS

How the ban on porn sites spawned a local cybersex industry

4h | Panorama
3 best affordable sunscreens for all

3 best affordable sunscreens for all

4h | Mode
Warah uses three types of khadi material: a sheer and light one, a medium count and a thicker one.

Warah: Embroidered with culture and womanhood

6h | Mode

More Videos from TBS

CV or Resume: Which one to create for job application

CV or Resume: Which one to create for job application

6h | Videos
Wheat prices double in India

Wheat prices double in India

19h | Videos
Is Washington-Moscow agreement possible?

Is Washington-Moscow agreement possible?

20h | Videos
Pigeon exhibition for the first time in Gazipur

Pigeon exhibition for the first time in Gazipur

1d | Videos

Most Read

1
Tk100 for bike, Tk2,400 for bus to cross Padma Bridge
Bangladesh

Tk100 for bike, Tk2,400 for bus to cross Padma Bridge

2
A packet of US five-dollar bills is inspected at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington March 26, 2015. REUTERS/Gary Cameron
Banking

Dollar hits Tk100 mark in open market

3
The story of Bangladesh becoming a major bicycle exporter
Industry

The story of Bangladesh becoming a major bicycle exporter

4
PK Halder: How a scamster rose from humble beginnings to a Tk11,000cr empire
Crime

PK Halder: How a scamster rose from humble beginnings to a Tk11,000cr empire

5
BSEC launches probe against Abul Khayer Hero and allies
Stocks

BSEC launches probe against Abul Khayer Hero and allies

6
The reception is a volumetric box-shaped room that has two glass walls on both the front and back ends and the other two walls are adorned with interior plants, wood and aluminium screens. Photo: Noor-A-Alam
Habitat

The United House: Living and working inside nature

The Business Standard
Top
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • About Us
  • Bangladesh
  • International
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Economy
  • Sitemap
  • RSS

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net

Copyright © 2022 THE BUSINESS STANDARD All rights reserved. Technical Partner: RSI Lab