Sri Lankan PM set to resign today

Disputed Sri Lankan prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa will resign today to end the country’s political crisis.

A pro-rajapaksa MP, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, said Mr Rajapaksa decided in a meeting with president Maithripala Sirisena to resign to allow the president to appoint a new government.

Sri Lanka has had no functioning government for two weeks and faces the prospect of being unable to pass a budget for next year. The decision has been hastened by a Supreme Court decision to extend a suspension of Mr Rajapaksa’s cabinet functioning.