SRI LANKA DEBATES NOCONFIDENCE MOTION AGAINST PM WICKREMESINGHE

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s Parliament debated a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday, a move that threatens the unity government elected on a platform of good governance. A vote on the motion, brought by a group led by former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa, was expected later in the day. Wickremesinghe needs 113 votes in the 225-member Parliament to defeat the motion. The main allegation involves his appointment of a Singaporean as the central bank governor who is now accused of leaking inside information to benefit his son-in-law in a treasury bond sale. Sri Lankan police have sought Interpol assistance to arrest Arjun Mahendran, the former bank governor.