COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lankan lawmakers have submitted a motion to suspend the expenses of disputed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who has lost two no-confidence motions in Parliament.
A lawmaker from the Marxist Peoples' Liberation Front says last week's passing of the no-confidence motions meant that Rajapaksa's office and the government had ceased to exist and therefore has no power to spend public money.
The lawmaker, Anura Dissanayaka, said parliament has the power over public finances and it was on that basis that Monday's motion was submitted. The vote will take place Nov. 29.
Sri Lanka has been in crisis since Oct. 26 when President Maithripala Sirisena abruptly fired Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and appointed Rajapaksa. Wickremesinghe says he still has the support of a majority in Parliament.
