Sri Lanka's former PM returns to post

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The leader of Sri Lanka's United National Party, Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was sacked from the post of prime minister in late October, was sworn in again by President Maithripala Sirisena on Sunday, ending a nearly two-month political crisis that had erupted after his surprising dismissal.

Wickremesinghe's comeback is an embarrassment for President Sirisena, who replaced him with former president Mahinda Rajapaksa following differences over policymaking and other issues.

Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena (R) listens to former president and then appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa when attending a ceremony granting employment to social service workers, in Colombo, November 30, 2018. /VCG Photo

However, Rajapaksa failed to win a parliamentary majority and resigned on Saturday as a government shutdown loomed.

The South Asian island country's parliament voted to cut the budget for Rajapaksa and his ministers after Sirisena refused to accept no-confidence votes against Rajapaksa, saying that due process was not followed.

Parliament has already passed a confidence vote in Wickremesinghe while it sought his reinstatement as prime minister to defuse a constitutional crisis.

Sri Lanka's then ousted prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe looks on during a parliament session in Colombo, December 12, 2018. /VCG Photo‍

On Friday, Sri Lanka's Supreme Court rejected Rajapaksa's bid for an injunction against a lower court's order that barred him and his Cabinet from performing their roles.

(With inputs from agencies)