President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is set to deliver a special address to the nation at 7:30 pm today (25 September), according to the Department of Government Information.
Dissanayake was sworn into office on Monday after securing a decisive win in the weekend’s presidential election, where he triumphed over 38 other candidates, obtaining more than 5.6 million votes, representing 42.3% of the total.
During his campaign, President Dissanayake pledged to dissolve Parliament and call for snap elections, as the current Parliament’s five-year term is set to expire in August next year.
Yesterday (24 September), an Extraordinary Gazette notification was issued by President Dissanayake, officially dissolving Parliament, effective from midnight. The Department of Government Printing published the proclamation, which calls for a new Parliament to convene on 21 November 2024. The election for new Members of Parliament is scheduled for 14 November 2024, with the nomination period running from 4 October until noon on 11 October 2024.
Before his election, Dissanayake, leader of the People’s Liberation Front (JVP) and the National People’s Power (NPP) alliance, had just three representatives in Sri Lanka’s 225-member Parliament.
On Tuesday, Dissanayake appointed academic and first-time lawmaker Harini Amarasuriya as Prime Minister, making her the third woman in Sri Lankan history to hold this position. The interim caretaker Cabinet, which includes Vijitha Herath, Amarasuriya, and Dissanayake himself, will serve until the parliamentary elections.
Additionally, new Secretaries have been appointed to 15 ministries, including those for the Prime Minister’s Office and the Cabinet, according to the President’s Media Division (PMD).
