Sri Lanka's parliament on Wednesday passed a vote of confidence in its ousted prime minister, as it sought his reinstatement by the president to defuse a political crisis and avoid a government shutdown.

The South Asian island nation has been locked in political gridlock for more than a month since&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-president-sirisena-fails-to-meet-deadline-to-end-political-crisis-183274">President Maithripala Sirisena</a> replaced former Prime Minister <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lankas-ousted-pm-sets-deadline-to-end-crisis-183007">Ranil Wickremesinghe</a> with pro-China strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Parliament has twice in the past few weeks voted to sack Rajapaksa but he has refused to resign.

Sirisena has repeatedly said he will not appoint Wickremesinghe "even if he has the backing of all 225 lawmakers in parliament".

It was not immediately clear whether the confidence vote, passed by 117 votes to none, would help to see Wickremesinghe reinstated.

Lawmakers backing Sirisena and Rajapaksa chose not to participate in the parliament vote.

Sirisena dissolved parliament last month after Rajapaksa could not get majority support there.

The Supreme Court is considering whether to rule that the dissolution is unconstitutional. If it does, parliament will then need to pass a budget for 2019, or risk triggering a government shutdown.

"If there is no budget, no government officials could draw money and there could be a government shutdown. The government can't even repay loans," former finance minister Mangala Samaraweera told parliament.

A Supreme Court ruling is expected this week.

Many foreign countries have yet to recognise the new government.

Sri Lanka's parliament on Wednesday passed a vote of confidence in its ousted prime minister, as it sought his reinstatement by the president to defuse a political crisis and avoid a government shutdown.

Sri Lanka's parliament on Wednesday passed a vote of confidence in its ousted prime minister, as it sought his reinstatement by the president to defuse a political crisis and avoid a government shutdown. The South Asian island nation has been locked in political gridlock for more than a month since President Maithripala Sirisena replaced former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe with pro-China strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa. Parliament has twice in the past few weeks voted to sack Rajapaksa but he has refused to resign. Sirisena has repeatedly said he will not appoint Wickremesinghe "even if he has the backing of all 225 lawmakers in parliament". It was not immediately clear whether the confidence vote, passed by 117 votes to none, would help to see Wickremesinghe reinstated. Lawmakers backing Sirisena and Rajapaksa chose not to participate in the parliament vote. Sirisena dissolved parliament last month after Rajapaksa could not get majority support there. The Supreme Court is considering whether to rule that the dissolution is unconstitutional. If it does, parliament will then need to pass a budget for 2019, or risk triggering a government shutdown. "If there is no budget, no government officials could draw money and there could be a government shutdown. The government can't even repay loans," former finance minister Mangala Samaraweera told parliament. A Supreme Court ruling is expected this week. Many foreign countries have yet to recognise the new government.

Ousted Sri Lanka PM Wickremesinghe wins confidence vote

Sri Lanka's highest court Friday banned President Maithripala Sirisena from sacking the legislature until it decides on the legality of his move last month to call snap elections.

The Supreme Court concluded hearing 10 petitions against Sirisena's move as part of a bitter power struggle with his erstwhile prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, but reserved judgement for an unspecified date.

The courts reopen on Monday.

Sirisena plunged the country into crisis on October 26 when he fired Wickremesinghe and appointed the contentious Mahinda Rajapakse in his place.

He then dissolved parliament on November 9 and called elections nearly two years ahead of schedule on January 5.

Four days after he sacked parliament through a special decree, the Supreme Court issued an interim ruling suspending Sirisena's action and restoring parliament, which almost immediately passed a no-confidence motion against Rajapakse.

"The court issued a fresh order extending the ban on the president until the case is concluded," a court official told reporters after the unusually long hearing on Friday marking four days of legal arguments.

Security was stepped up outside the Supreme Court amid expectations of a final ruling on Friday evening.

The court's seven-judge bench is expected to deliver a ruling on the constitutionality of Sirisena's move as early as Monday.

Sacked premier Wickremesinghe's party and their allies, who command a majority in the 225-member assembly, have suggested they could begin impeachment proceedings against Sirisena depending on the ruling.

Wickremesinghe's party loyalists believe the court decision will go in their favour, a view held by many independent lawyers.

Problems for Sirisena were compounded on Monday when the Court of Appeal suspended the entire cabinet and asked Rajapakse to explain on what authority he was holding office.

With parliamentary proceedings degenerating into brawls, the United States, the European Union and other powers have raised concerns over the crisis in the strategically important island nation of 21 million people.

Only China has recognised the appointment of Rajapakse, who during his decade as president until 2015 relied heavily on Beijing for diplomatic and financial support.

As president from 2005 until 2015, he ended Sri Lanka's four-decade civil war in 2009 by crushing the rebel Tamil Tigers.

But 40,000 ethnic Tamils were allegedly massacred in the process.

Rajapakse and his family are also alleged to have profited from his time in power through corrupt deals.

During an earlier stint as prime minister from 2001 until 2004, Wickremesinghe is credited with pulling Sri Lanka out of its first ever recession, in part with reforms that have endeared him to the West.

Sri Lanka's highest court Friday banned President Maithripala Sirisena from sacking the legislature until it decides on the legality of his move last month to call snap elections.

Sri Lanka's highest court Friday banned President Maithripala Sirisena from sacking the legislature until it decides on the legality of his move last month to call snap elections. The Supreme Court concluded hearing 10 petitions against Sirisena's move as part of a bitter power struggle with his erstwhile prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, but reserved judgement for an unspecified date. The courts reopen on Monday. Sirisena plunged the country into crisis on October 26 when he fired Wickremesinghe and appointed the contentious Mahinda Rajapakse in his place. He then dissolved parliament on November 9 and called elections nearly two years ahead of schedule on January 5. Four days after he sacked parliament through a special decree, the Supreme Court issued an interim ruling suspending Sirisena's action and restoring parliament, which almost immediately passed a no-confidence motion against Rajapakse. "The court issued a fresh order extending the ban on the president until the case is concluded," a court official told reporters after the unusually long hearing on Friday marking four days of legal arguments. Security was stepped up outside the Supreme Court amid expectations of a final ruling on Friday evening. The court's seven-judge bench is expected to deliver a ruling on the constitutionality of Sirisena's move as early as Monday. Sacked premier Wickremesinghe's party and their allies, who command a majority in the 225-member assembly, have suggested they could begin impeachment proceedings against Sirisena depending on the ruling. Wickremesinghe's party loyalists believe the court decision will go in their favour, a view held by many independent lawyers. Problems for Sirisena were compounded on Monday when the Court of Appeal suspended the entire cabinet and asked Rajapakse to explain on what authority he was holding office. With parliamentary proceedings degenerating into brawls, the United States, the European Union and other powers have raised concerns over the crisis in the strategically important island nation of 21 million people. Only China has recognised the appointment of Rajapakse, who during his decade as president until 2015 relied heavily on Beijing for diplomatic and financial support. As president from 2005 until 2015, he ended Sri Lanka's four-decade civil war in 2009 by crushing the rebel Tamil Tigers. But 40,000 ethnic Tamils were allegedly massacred in the process. Rajapakse and his family are also alleged to have profited from his time in power through corrupt deals. During an earlier stint as prime minister from 2001 until 2004, Wickremesinghe is credited with pulling Sri Lanka out of its first ever recession, in part with reforms that have endeared him to the West.

Sri Lanka court extends ban on president sacking parliament

Security was stepped up outside Sri Lanka's top court on Friday ahead of an expected ruling on whether the president broke the law by sacking parliament last month, a decision that could potentially lead to impeachment proceedings.

President Maithripala Sirisena plunged the country into crisis on October 26 when he fired the prime minister and appointed the contentious Mahinda Rajapakse in his place. He then dissolved parliament on November 9.

Four days later, the Supreme Court issued an interim ruling suspending Sirisena's decree and restoring parliament, which almost immediately passed a no-confidence motion against Rajapakse.

The court's seven-judge bench was likely to deliver a final ruling on the constitutionality of Sirisena's move on Friday.

"If the morning session is brief, we can expect a decision later today," a court official said.

Sacked premier Ranil Wickremesinghe's party and their allies, who command a majority in the 225-member assembly, have suggested that they could begin impeachment proceedings again Sirisena depending on the ruling.

Wickremesinghe's party loyalists believe that the court decision will go in their favour, a view held by many independent lawyers.

Problems for Sirisena were compounded on Monday when the Court of Appeal suspended the entire cabinet and asked Rajapakse to explain on what authority he was holding office.

With parliamentary proceedings degenerating into brawls, the United States, the European Union and other powers have raised concerns over the crisis in the strategically important island nation of 21 million people.

Only China has recognised the appointment of Rajapakse, who during his decade as president until 2015 relied heavily on Beijing for diplomatic and financial support.

As president from 2005 until 2015, he ended Sri Lanka's four-decade civil war in 2009 by crushing the rebel Tamil Tigers.

But 40,000 ethnic Tamils were allegedly massacred in the process. Rajapakse and his family are also alleged to have profited from his time in power through corrupt deals.

During an earlier stint as prime minister from 2001 until 2004, Wickremesinghe is credited with pulling Sri Lanka out of its first ever recession, in part with reforms that have endeared him to the West.

Security was stepped up outside Sri Lanka's top court on Friday ahead of an expected ruling on whether the president broke the law by sacking parliament last month, a decision that could potentially lead to impeachment proceedings.

Security was stepped up outside Sri Lanka's top court on Friday ahead of an expected ruling on whether the president broke the law by sacking parliament last month, a decision that could potentially lead to impeachment proceedings. President Maithripala Sirisena plunged the country into crisis on October 26 when he fired the prime minister and appointed the contentious Mahinda Rajapakse in his place. He then dissolved parliament on November 9. Four days later, the Supreme Court issued an interim ruling suspending Sirisena's decree and restoring parliament, which almost immediately passed a no-confidence motion against Rajapakse. The court's seven-judge bench was likely to deliver a final ruling on the constitutionality of Sirisena's move on Friday. "If the morning session is brief, we can expect a decision later today," a court official said. Sacked premier Ranil Wickremesinghe's party and their allies, who command a majority in the 225-member assembly, have suggested that they could begin impeachment proceedings again Sirisena depending on the ruling. Wickremesinghe's party loyalists believe that the court decision will go in their favour, a view held by many independent lawyers. Problems for Sirisena were compounded on Monday when the Court of Appeal suspended the entire cabinet and asked Rajapakse to explain on what authority he was holding office. With parliamentary proceedings degenerating into brawls, the United States, the European Union and other powers have raised concerns over the crisis in the strategically important island nation of 21 million people. Only China has recognised the appointment of Rajapakse, who during his decade as president until 2015 relied heavily on Beijing for diplomatic and financial support. As president from 2005 until 2015, he ended Sri Lanka's four-decade civil war in 2009 by crushing the rebel Tamil Tigers. But 40,000 ethnic Tamils were allegedly massacred in the process. Rajapakse and his family are also alleged to have profited from his time in power through corrupt deals. During an earlier stint as prime minister from 2001 until 2004, Wickremesinghe is credited with pulling Sri Lanka out of its first ever recession, in part with reforms that have endeared him to the West.

Sri Lanka court set to rule on sacking of parliament

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena is considering dropping an attempt to dissolve parliament, sources close to the president said, possibly easing weeks of political deadlock.

The country has been in a crisis since Sirisena replaced Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe with Mahinda Rajapaksa last month, and then issued an order dissolving parliament and called for a general election.

The sources said the president may now rescind the order, effectively pre-empting a court ruling that they expect to overturn his decision anyway.

Sri Lanka's top court stayed the dissolution order pending a hearing on its constitutionality that starts on Tuesday, allowing parliament to resume meeting.

Rajapaksa, a former president, has lost two confidence votes in parliament but has refused to resign.

"There is a possibility of withdrawing the gazette," said a source in regular discussion with Sirisena, referring to the official announcement by which the president dissolved parliament. "I have no doubt that the Supreme Court would say that dissolution was wrong."

A spokesman for Sirisena, Dharmasri Ekanayake, said he was unaware of any such plans.

"DIGNIFIED EXIT"

A second source in Sirisena's party said the president was looking for a "dignified exit" by withdrawing the dissolution order as the court was unlikely to rule in his favour.

The Supreme Court is expected to announce its decision as early as December 7.

Foreign countries have yet to recognise the new government. The impasse has also pushed the island's currency to record lows, caused turmoil on its stock and bond markets, and raised fears it may not be able to service debts to finance reconstruction following a 26-year civil war that ended in 2009.

Rajapaksa is seen as a hero by many among Sri Lanka’s Buddhist majority for ending a bloody war with Tamil rebels in 2009, but has been accused by diplomats and international rights groups of human rights abuses, which he denies.

Sirisena came to power in 2015 on a pledge to uphold democracy and stamp out corruption, but his popularity has been hit by a crisis many say he triggered because of personal differences with former Prime Minister Wickremesinghe.

The crisis deepened on Friday when parliament voted to halt payment of ministers' salaries - a move to pressure the disputed government of Rajapaksa. Rajapaksa loyalists boycotted the vote saying it was illegal.

Separately on Friday, the country's Appeal Court began a hearing on a petition signed by 122 legislators that challenged Rajapaksa's authority to hold office after he lost the no-confidence votes earlier this month.

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena is considering dropping an attempt to dissolve parliament, sources close to the president said, possibly easing weeks of political deadlock.

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena is considering dropping an attempt to dissolve parliament, sources close to the president said, possibly easing weeks of political deadlock. The country has been in a crisis since Sirisena replaced Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe with Mahinda Rajapaksa last month, and then issued an order dissolving parliament and called for a general election. The sources said the president may now rescind the order, effectively pre-empting a court ruling that they expect to overturn his decision anyway. Sri Lanka's top court stayed the dissolution order pending a hearing on its constitutionality that starts on Tuesday, allowing parliament to resume meeting. Rajapaksa, a former president, has lost two confidence votes in parliament but has refused to resign. "There is a possibility of withdrawing the gazette," said a source in regular discussion with Sirisena, referring to the official announcement by which the president dissolved parliament. "I have no doubt that the Supreme Court would say that dissolution was wrong." A spokesman for Sirisena, Dharmasri Ekanayake, said he was unaware of any such plans. "DIGNIFIED EXIT" A second source in Sirisena's party said the president was looking for a "dignified exit" by withdrawing the dissolution order as the court was unlikely to rule in his favour. The Supreme Court is expected to announce its decision as early as December 7. Foreign countries have yet to recognise the new government. The impasse has also pushed the island's currency to record lows, caused turmoil on its stock and bond markets, and raised fears it may not be able to service debts to finance reconstruction following a 26-year civil war that ended in 2009. Rajapaksa is seen as a hero by many among Sri Lanka’s Buddhist majority for ending a bloody war with Tamil rebels in 2009, but has been accused by diplomats and international rights groups of human rights abuses, which he denies. Sirisena came to power in 2015 on a pledge to uphold democracy and stamp out corruption, but his popularity has been hit by a crisis many say he triggered because of personal differences with former Prime Minister Wickremesinghe. The crisis deepened on Friday when parliament voted to halt payment of ministers' salaries - a move to pressure the disputed government of Rajapaksa. Rajapaksa loyalists boycotted the vote saying it was illegal. Separately on Friday, the country's Appeal Court began a hearing on a petition signed by 122 legislators that challenged Rajapaksa's authority to hold office after he lost the no-confidence votes earlier this month.

Sri Lanka president weighs backing down in crisis over parliament: Sources

Sri Lanka's parliament on Friday voted to halt payment of ministers' salaries and travel expenses, but it remained unclear how the move would impact the disputed government of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa whose ministers boycotted the vote.

The South Asian island has been locked in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-signs-port-deals-with-china-amid-political-upheaval-180367">political gridlock</a> for over a month since President Maithripala Sirisena replaced former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe with Rajapaksa, who was then twice sacked by parliament but has refused to resign.

Foreign countries have yet to recognise the new government.

Friday's motion, which passed 122 to none in the 225-member parliament, follows a similar vote on Thursday to cut the budget to the Prime Minister's office. Rajapaksa loyalists also skipped that vote, arguing the motion was invalid.

"The motion to cut down the expenditures of ministers, deputy ministers, and state ministers is passed," parliament's speaker Karu Jayasuriya said. He earlier said he would officially inform ministry secretaries of the decision.

The motion specifically was to prohibit top civil servants from paying out salaries and travel expenses.

However, one senior civil servant from a government ministry, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said it was unclear how such a vote would be applied in practice because there were questions over whether due process had been followed.

In a repeat of Thursday's actions, Rajapaksa loyalists declared the vote illegal and called into question the impartiality of the speaker.

"The motion today presented is illegal and we have mentioned it to the speaker too. We will not attend such illegal motions," Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, a minister in Rajapaksa's disputed government, told reporters before the proceedings started.

Rajapaksa's party argues that as the president never accepted no confidence votes against its government, it remains in power. The motions presented on Thursday and Friday are based on the assumption they have been sacked.

Rajapaksa presided over a government victory over Tamil rebels in 2009, ending a bloody 26-year civil war.

Sri Lanka's parliament on Friday voted to halt payment of ministers' salaries and travel expenses, but it remained unclear how the move would impact the disputed government of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa whose ministers boycotted the vote.

Sri Lanka's parliament on Friday voted to halt payment of ministers' salaries and travel expenses, but it remained unclear how the move would impact the disputed government of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa whose ministers boycotted the vote. The South Asian island has been locked in political gridlock for over a month since President Maithripala Sirisena replaced former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe with Rajapaksa, who was then twice sacked by parliament but has refused to resign. Foreign countries have yet to recognise the new government. Friday's motion, which passed 122 to none in the 225-member parliament, follows a similar vote on Thursday to cut the budget to the Prime Minister's office. Rajapaksa loyalists also skipped that vote, arguing the motion was invalid. "The motion to cut down the expenditures of ministers, deputy ministers, and state ministers is passed," parliament's speaker Karu Jayasuriya said. He earlier said he would officially inform ministry secretaries of the decision. The motion specifically was to prohibit top civil servants from paying out salaries and travel expenses. However, one senior civil servant from a government ministry, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said it was unclear how such a vote would be applied in practice because there were questions over whether due process had been followed. In a repeat of Thursday's actions, Rajapaksa loyalists declared the vote illegal and called into question the impartiality of the speaker. "The motion today presented is illegal and we have mentioned it to the speaker too. We will not attend such illegal motions," Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, a minister in Rajapaksa's disputed government, told reporters before the proceedings started. Rajapaksa's party argues that as the president never accepted no confidence votes against its government, it remains in power. The motions presented on Thursday and Friday are based on the assumption they have been sacked. Rajapaksa presided over a government victory over Tamil rebels in 2009, ending a bloody 26-year civil war.

Sri Lanka parliament halts ministers' salaries, travel expenses

Sri Lanka penned two multi-million dollar contracts with Chinese firms for a port upgrade project on Thursday in the middle of a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sri-lanka/president-sirisenas-decision-led-to-the-political-crisis-in-sri-lanka-ranil-wickremesinghe-to-wion-176269">political hiatus </a>that has raised doubts over the legitimacy of the government and the legality of the deals.

The debt-saddled island has long been a target of Beijing's ambitious Belt and Road infrastructure scheme to connect China with countries cross Asia and beyond, while regional power India has also been vying for deals to counter China's influence.

But a political crisis triggered by President Maithripala <a href="http://www.wionews.com/opinions/political-chaos-in-sri-lanka-has-a-long-backstory-175043">Sirisena's replacement of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe with Mahinda Rajapaksa</a>, who was in turn sacked by parliament, has raised doubts over who can legitimately make decisions in the country.

Foreign countries have yet to recognise the new government and Wickremesinghe's party has said any decisions by Rajapaksa's cabinet are illegal.

An official at the state-run Sri Lanka Ports Authority told Reuters it signed two contracts with Chinese firms worth more than $50 million combined on Thursday after the deals were approved by Rajapaksa's disputed cabinet last week.

One of Rajapaksa's cabinet ministers, speaking on condition of anonymity, also confirmed the deals had been approved by the cabinet, while documents seen by Reuters showed the deals were set to be rubber-stamped at the meeting.

The deals are a $32 million contract to enhance the deep berth capacity of state-run Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) in Colombo with China Harbour Engineering Company, and another one worth $25.7 million for the purchase of three cranes from Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries for the same project, according to the ports authority official.

Asked about the deals, the former cabinet spokesperson under Wickremesinghe's government, Rajitha Senaratne, told Reuters:

"We will have to re-examine definitely. They don't have the legal power to decide."

The ports authority official said the tenders for the deals had been advertised in state-owned newspapers, as is the norm in Sri Lanka, and that they were sent to a cabinet-appointed procurement panel months ago.

India, which accounts for around 80 per cent of Colombo's trans-shipment business, has raised concerns over increasing Chinese projects in Colombo.

New Delhi had been pushing Sri Lanka for the award of an estimated $1 billion contract for a second foreign-operated container terminal in Colombo.

But that deal was the subject of an argument between Sirisena and Wickremesinghe just before his ouster, in which Sirisena reportedly said the country couldn't give any more of its assets to foreigners.

The political instability and economic malaise have raised questions over Sri Lanka's ability to service large external debt taken to finance reconstruction following the end the civil war in 2009. It owes around $8 billion to China, official data shows.

Sri Lanka penned two multi-million dollar contracts with Chinese firms for a port upgrade project on Thursday in the middle of a political hiatus that has raised doubts over the legitimacy of the government and the legality of the deals.

Sri Lanka penned two multi-million dollar contracts with Chinese firms for a port upgrade project on Thursday in the middle of a political hiatus that has raised doubts over the legitimacy of the government and the legality of the deals. The debt-saddled island has long been a target of Beijing's ambitious Belt and Road infrastructure scheme to connect China with countries cross Asia and beyond, while regional power India has also been vying for deals to counter China's influence. But a political crisis triggered by President Maithripala Sirisena's replacement of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe with Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was in turn sacked by parliament, has raised doubts over who can legitimately make decisions in the country. Foreign countries have yet to recognise the new government and Wickremesinghe's party has said any decisions by Rajapaksa's cabinet are illegal. An official at the state-run Sri Lanka Ports Authority told Reuters it signed two contracts with Chinese firms worth more than $50 million combined on Thursday after the deals were approved by Rajapaksa's disputed cabinet last week. One of Rajapaksa's cabinet ministers, speaking on condition of anonymity, also confirmed the deals had been approved by the cabinet, while documents seen by Reuters showed the deals were set to be rubber-stamped at the meeting. The deals are a $32 million contract to enhance the deep berth capacity of state-run Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) in Colombo with China Harbour Engineering Company, and another one worth $25.7 million for the purchase of three cranes from Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries for the same project, according to the ports authority official. Asked about the deals, the former cabinet spokesperson under Wickremesinghe's government, Rajitha Senaratne, told Reuters: "We will have to re-examine definitely. They don't have the legal power to decide." The ports authority official said the tenders for the deals had been advertised in state-owned newspapers, as is the norm in Sri Lanka, and that they were sent to a cabinet-appointed procurement panel months ago. India, which accounts for around 80 per cent of Colombo's trans-shipment business, has raised concerns over increasing Chinese projects in Colombo. New Delhi had been pushing Sri Lanka for the award of an estimated $1 billion contract for a second foreign-operated container terminal in Colombo. But that deal was the subject of an argument between Sirisena and Wickremesinghe just before his ouster, in which Sirisena reportedly said the country couldn't give any more of its assets to foreigners. The political instability and economic malaise have raised questions over Sri Lanka's ability to service large external debt taken to finance reconstruction following the end the civil war in 2009. It owes around $8 billion to China, official data shows.

Sri Lanka signs port deals with China amid political upheaval

Sri Lankan Parliament Thursday overwhelmingly passed a motion to suspend the expenditure of the Prime Minister's Office, dealing a major blow to strongman <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-parliament-passes-motion-to-cut-prime-ministers-budget-180182">Mahinda Rajapaksa</a> who was appointed premier by President Maithripala Sirisena in a controversial move that plunged the country into a constitutional crisis.

The motion was passed with 123 lawmakers voting in favour of the motion and none opposing it in the 225-member House as Rajapaksa's supporters boycotted the session.&nbsp;

"Such a motion cannot be presented by the Opposition. It must be presented only by a government minister," SB Dissanayake, a member of Sirisena's United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) party, said.

Observers opine that the passing of the motion, stripping prime minister's secretary from spending money from the state account, was yet another indication that Rajapaksa lacked simple majority of 113 in the House to continue as the premier.&nbsp;

The motion, which was approved, read, "Parliament resolves that from November 15, Secretary to the Prime Minister has no authority to approve any expenditure drawn from the funds of the Republic and any person taking any action in violation of this resolution will be dealt with according to the law."&nbsp;

Lanka is witnessing a political crisis since October 26 when President Sirisena sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and replaced him with Rajapaksa.&nbsp;

Sirisena later dissolved Parliament, almost 20 months before its term was to end, and ordered a snap election. The Supreme Court overturned Sirisena's decision to dissolve Parliament and halted the preparations for snap polls.

Both Wickremesinghe and Rajapaksa claim to be the prime ministers. Wickremesinghe says his dismissal is invalid because he still holds a majority in the 225-member Parliament.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has officially conveyed that the House does not recognise Rajapaksa as the legal prime minister until he proved his majority in the House.

The United National Front led by Wickremesinghe has moved three motions of no trust against Rajapaksa. However, he refused to step down.&nbsp;

The parliamentarians comprising members of the UNF, JVP and TNA ? filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the former president, challenging him to prove on what authority he is holding office as the prime minister after the Parliament voted twice to defeat him on November 14 and November 16.&nbsp;

The November 16 session witnessed unprecedented violence as lawmakers threw furniture and chilli powder at each other.&nbsp;

Jayasuriya had called the police into the House as lawmakers were seen breaking furniture to attack the police, while there were video images of some MPs carrying sharp objects and an MP was seen throwing chilli powder mixed with water at the policemen. The violence had left some lawmakers injured.

The Speaker Thursday announced he has appointed a committee to probe the violence in the Parliament.

Sri Lankan Parliament Thursday overwhelmingly passed a motion to suspend the expenditure of the Prime Minister's Office, dealing a major blow to strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa who was appointed premier by President Maithripala Sirisena in a controversial move that plunged the country into a constitutional crisis.

Sri Lankan Parliament Thursday overwhelmingly passed a motion to suspend the expenditure of the Prime Minister's Office, dealing a major blow to strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa who was appointed premier by President Maithripala Sirisena in a controversial move that plunged the country into a constitutional crisis. The motion was passed with 123 lawmakers voting in favour of the motion and none opposing it in the 225-member House as Rajapaksa's supporters boycotted the session. "Such a motion cannot be presented by the Opposition. It must be presented only by a government minister," SB Dissanayake, a member of Sirisena's United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) party, said. Observers opine that the passing of the motion, stripping prime minister's secretary from spending money from the state account, was yet another indication that Rajapaksa lacked simple majority of 113 in the House to continue as the premier. The motion, which was approved, read, "Parliament resolves that from November 15, Secretary to the Prime Minister has no authority to approve any expenditure drawn from the funds of the Republic and any person taking any action in violation of this resolution will be dealt with according to the law." Lanka is witnessing a political crisis since October 26 when President Sirisena sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and replaced him with Rajapaksa. Sirisena later dissolved Parliament, almost 20 months before its term was to end, and ordered a snap election. The Supreme Court overturned Sirisena's decision to dissolve Parliament and halted the preparations for snap polls. Both Wickremesinghe and Rajapaksa claim to be the prime ministers. Wickremesinghe says his dismissal is invalid because he still holds a majority in the 225-member Parliament. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has officially conveyed that the House does not recognise Rajapaksa as the legal prime minister until he proved his majority in the House. The United National Front led by Wickremesinghe has moved three motions of no trust against Rajapaksa. However, he refused to step down. The parliamentarians comprising members of the UNF, JVP and TNA ? filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the former president, challenging him to prove on what authority he is holding office as the prime minister after the Parliament voted twice to defeat him on November 14 and November 16. The November 16 session witnessed unprecedented violence as lawmakers threw furniture and chilli powder at each other. Jayasuriya had called the police into the House as lawmakers were seen breaking furniture to attack the police, while there were video images of some MPs carrying sharp objects and an MP was seen throwing chilli powder mixed with water at the policemen. The violence had left some lawmakers injured. The Speaker Thursday announced he has appointed a committee to probe the violence in the Parliament.

Sri Lanka Parliament bars Rajapaksa from using state funds after cutting budget

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, who last month abruptly sacked prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and replaced him with former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa, will write a book on his "unsuccessful political marriage" with the ousted premier.

Sirisena's controversial action on October 26 led to a political crisis in the country with both Wickremesinghe and Rajapaksa claiming to be the legitimate prime minister.

Wickremesinghe termed his dismissal as invalid and said he still holds a majority in the 225-member Parliament.

Sirisena, addressing a public gathering on Friday, said the book will be titled 'My unsuccessful political marriage with Ranil'.

"I know that people are criticising me right now. I will tell them to wait until I release my book," the President said.

Sirisena claimed that despite his action, he had not been isolated.

"I know that right thinking people are with me on this battle against the corrupt and the traitors," he added.

Sirisena's announcement came hours after Wickremesinghe's alliance won control of a powerful panel in Parliament, dealing a major blow to him and his prime ministerial appointee Rajapaksa.

Former president Rajapaksa, who ruled Sri Lanka for almost a decade, was unexpectedly defeated by his deputy, Sirisena, in the presidential election in January, 2015 with the support from Wickremesinghe's United National Party.

However, the power-sharing arrangement between Sirisena and Wickremesinghe became increasingly tenuous on several policy matters, mainly on economy and security.

The country is witnessing a political stalemate since Sirisena sacked Wickremesinghe on October 26.

Sirisena later dissolved Parliament, almost 20 months before its term was to end, and ordered a snap election. The Supreme Court overturned Sirisena's decision to dissolve Parliament and halted the preparations for snap polls.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya then ordered a floor test in the 225-member assembly to end the ongoing political crisis, a move which invited the wrath of the government of Rajapaksa.

The United National Front led by Wickremesinghe has already moved three motions of no trust against Rajapaksa. Rajapaksa, however, has refused to step down.&nbsp;

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, who last month abruptly sacked prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and replaced him with former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa, will write a book on his "unsuccessful political marriage" with the ousted premier.

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, who last month abruptly sacked prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and replaced him with former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa, will write a book on his "unsuccessful political marriage" with the ousted premier. Sirisena's controversial action on October 26 led to a political crisis in the country with both Wickremesinghe and Rajapaksa claiming to be the legitimate prime minister. Wickremesinghe termed his dismissal as invalid and said he still holds a majority in the 225-member Parliament. Sirisena, addressing a public gathering on Friday, said the book will be titled 'My unsuccessful political marriage with Ranil'. "I know that people are criticising me right now. I will tell them to wait until I release my book," the President said. Sirisena claimed that despite his action, he had not been isolated. "I know that right thinking people are with me on this battle against the corrupt and the traitors," he added. Sirisena's announcement came hours after Wickremesinghe's alliance won control of a powerful panel in Parliament, dealing a major blow to him and his prime ministerial appointee Rajapaksa. Former president Rajapaksa, who ruled Sri Lanka for almost a decade, was unexpectedly defeated by his deputy, Sirisena, in the presidential election in January, 2015 with the support from Wickremesinghe's United National Party. However, the power-sharing arrangement between Sirisena and Wickremesinghe became increasingly tenuous on several policy matters, mainly on economy and security. The country is witnessing a political stalemate since Sirisena sacked Wickremesinghe on October 26. Sirisena later dissolved Parliament, almost 20 months before its term was to end, and ordered a snap election. The Supreme Court overturned Sirisena's decision to dissolve Parliament and halted the preparations for snap polls. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya then ordered a floor test in the 225-member assembly to end the ongoing political crisis, a move which invited the wrath of the government of Rajapaksa. The United National Front led by Wickremesinghe has already moved three motions of no trust against Rajapaksa. Rajapaksa, however, has refused to step down.

Lankan President Sirisena to pen book on current political crisis