COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Pandemonium is reigning in Sri Lanka's Parliament as lawmakers supporting disputed Prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa are preventing the proceedings from taking place.
One lawmaker is sitting on the speaker's chair while others are shouting slogans. Parliament was to begin its proceedings on Friday, a day after the speaker announced there is no prime minister or government following a no-confidence motion against Rajapaksa.
Rajapaksa claimed the speaker had no authority to remove him. On Thursday, rival lawmakers exchanged blows, leaving one injured.
Sri Lanka has been in political crisis since Oct. 26 when President Maithripala Sirisena abruptly sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and appointed the former strongman Rajapaksa. Wickremsinghe says he has the majority support in the house.
