The vote to elect a successor to the vacancy caused by the resignation of Gotabaya Rajapaksa will take place today (20) at 10.00 am in Parliament.
The acceptance of nominations for the presidency was conducted yesterday (19) in Parliament.
Accordingly, nominations for presidency were handed over by the Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Parliamentarians Dullas Alahapperuma and Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
As more than one candidate has handed over nominations, as planned earlier at the party leaders meeting on the 11th a secret ballot will be conducted at 10.00 am today in parliament, Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake said accepting nominations.
In terms of section 5 of the Election of the President (Special Provisions) Act No. 2 of 1981, Parliament met on the 16th and a date and time for receiving nominations shall be fixed not earlier than forty-eight hours and not later than seven days after the date of that meeting. Therefore, the General Secretary also said that on that date and time, Tuesday (19) yesterday at 10.00 am the Parliament met and accepted the nominations.
Accordingly, Parliament met at 10.00 am yesterday (19) under the chairmanship of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.
The Speaker informed the House that after the meeting of the Parliament, the work of receiving nominations for the appointment of a successor President would begin.
Thereafter, the process of accepting nominations was carried out by the Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake.
Every Member of Parliament who intends to propose a Member of Parliament to be elected for the vacant office of President must first obtain the written consent of that Member of Parliament stating his or her intent to serve in the office of President if the Member is elected. Accordingly, a copy of the same should be handed over to the Secretary General on the 19th , when nominations are to be accepted.
After receiving the nominations, the Parliament adjourned till 10.00 am today (20) and the polling will start at 10.00 am today (20).
It is the first time in the history of Sri Lanka that a President is elected by the Parliament.