The Sri Lankan parliament has started voting to select a new president to replace Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who resigned last week following massive protests.

The candidates nominated in parliament on Tuesday include Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) parliamentarian Dullas Alahapperuma, and National People's Power (NPP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, who had expressed his desire to compete for the presidency, announced that his withdrawal from consideration on Tuesday.