Amid the upheaval created due to the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, Republic learnt that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has tendered his resignation to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Sunday.
Mahinda Rajapaksa’s resignation from the PM post comes as protests continued in the island country despite the imposition of an Emergency as well as a 36-hour long-curfew.
President Rajapaksa issued a special gazette notification late on Friday night, declaring a public emergency in Sri Lanka with immediate effect from April 1.
In the gazette, the President states: ‘Whereas I am of opinion that by reason of a public emergency in Sri Lanka it is expedient to do so in the interests of public security the protection of public order and the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community’.
Thereafter, on Saturday, the Rajapaksa-led Sri Lankan government imposed a 36-hour curfew on Saturday. The curfew, as per the government order, will be in place across the island country starting from 6 PM on Saturday to 6 am on Monday.