COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lankan lawmakers have approved a motion barring disputed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa from using state funds after he was defeated in a no confidence vote.
The motion on Thursday received 123 votes in favor as Rajapaksa's supporters boycotted Parliament.
Sri Lanka has been in a political crisis since Oct. 26, when President Maithripala Sirisena abruptly fired Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and appointed Rajapaksa. Both claim to be the legitimate officeholder, with Wickremesinghe saying he has majority support in Parliament and his firing was invalid. Rajapaksa previously served as president from 2005 to 2015.
Parliament has passed two no-confidence motions against Rajapaksa, but he has refused to concede defeat, saying proper procedures were not followed. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has announced the end of Rajapaksa's government following the no-confidence motions.
