As it happened: Demonstrators burn an effigy of interim Sri Lankan President Wickremesinghe

A senior government spokesperson of Sri Lanka said that there has been no positive response from China for the proposed debt restructuring programme despite taking steps to hasten the free trade agreement (FTA).

Ceylon Today quoted a spokesman as saying that "China is still trying to provide refinancing facilities equal to another billion dollars for the maturing China Development Bank loan. But Sri Lanka has refused to receive the refinancing facility because all debtors are treated equally under the debt restructuring programme."

Sri Lanka is facing "a very serious crisis" that makes India naturally worried, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told an all-party meeting here on Tuesday and dismissed suggestions about such a situation arising in India.

Jaishankar, who made the initial remarks, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi were among the senior members of the government at the briefing, which was also attended by P Chidambaram and Manickam Tagore of the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) Sharad Pawar and T R Baalu and M M Abdulla of the DMK.

"The reason we took the initiative to request you all to join an all-party meeting was...This is a very serious crisis and what we are seeing in Sri Lanka is in many ways an unprecedented situation," Jaishankar said.

"It is a matter which pertains to a very close neighbour and given the near proximity, we naturally worry about the consequences, the spillover it has for us," he added.

Jaishankar also said there have seen some "misinformed comparisons" in the context of Sri Lanka wherein some people have asked whether "can such a situation happen in India".

A senior Indian government official posted in Sri Lanka sustained grievous injuries in an unprovoked assault, the Indian High Commission here said on Tuesday as it urged its nationals to remain aware of the latest developments in the island nation and plan their movements and activities accordingly.

Sri Lanka is witnessing a public unrest due to the unprecedented economic crisis followed by a political turmoil in the country. Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Monday imposed an emergency ahead of the key election on Wednesday to pick a new president.

The Indian High Commission in a tweet said the relations between the people of India and Sri Lanka have always been cordial and friendly.

"In the current situation, #Indian nationals in #SriLanka are requested to remain aware of latest developments and accordingly plan their movements and activities. You may contact us when required," it said.

In another tweet, the High Commission said its officials in the morning met "Vivek Varma, an Indian national and Director of Indian Visa Centre, who sustained grievous injuries in an unprovoked assault last night near Colombo".

A majority of members of Sri Lanka's ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party was in favour of nominating Dullas Alahapperuma, a leader of its breakaway faction, for the post of the President and principal Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa as the Prime Minister, Chairman of the SLPP, G L Peiris said on Tuesday, ahead of Wednesday's presidential election.

Acting Sri Lankan President President Ranil Wickremesinghe and two others were proposed by lawmakers on Tuesday as the three candidates for the July 20 presidential election to pick the successor to Gotabaya Rajapaksa after he resigned following a popular uprising against his government for mismanaging the economy.

Wickremesinghe, 73, will face-off against Alahapperuma, a 63-year-old staunch Sinhala Buddhist nationalist and a key member from the breakaway group of the SLPP and the leftist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, 53, it was officially announced in Parliament.

Sri Lanka parliament has stepped up security in view of voting to elect new president that will take place on Wednesday (July 20)

Security personnel could be seen guarding behind barricades set up on roads leading to the parliament, as well as on boats patrolling the waterbody surrounding the building.

The acute food shortage in Sri Lanka is taking a serious turn. The food insecurity has started creating problem in orphanages

Election to elect Sri Lanka's next president will have three candidates in the ring.

The parliament has announced that acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe will face former education minister Dullas Alahapperuma, who has the backing of the main opposition, and leftist leader Anura Dissanayake in a secret ballot on Wednesday.

The three were formally nominated by legislators in a session that lasted under 10 minutes at the tightly guarded parliament building.
 

Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe is considered to be the front runner.

He has good support from his party SLPP however there is a challenge to him from within the party.

SLPP dissident Dullas Alahapperuma (63), can be a serious challenge. He is a former media minister.

Sajith Premadasa, 55, the main opposition leader is entering the race as well.

A possible fourth contender is former army chief Sarath Fonseka, 71, a nemesis of the Rajapaksa family.

Let's take a look at how will the next Sri Lankan president be elected.

Sri Lankan parliament has 225 MPs. They will elect the new president. They will indicate their choice in preferences.

A winning candidate would need more than half the votes to be elected. In case no one crosses the threshold on votes of first preference, the candidate who has got least number of votes will be eliminated. Votes of that candidate will be distributed according to the second preference.

This process will be repeated till one candidate crosses the threshold.