NPP’s Asoka Ranwala elected as Sri Lanka’s new parliament speaker

COLOMBO, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) — Sri Lanka’s 10th parliament, which held its first sitting on Thursday morning, appointed member of parliament representing the National People’s Power (NPP) Asoka Sapumal Ranwala as the new parliament speaker.
He was nominated by Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and seconded by Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath and was appointed unanimously.
NPP parliamentarians Rizvie Salih and Hemali Weerasekara were elected as the new deputy speaker of parliament and deputy chairperson of committees, respectively.
During the session, the speaker announced that President Anura Kumara Dissanayke has officially recognized Sajith Premadasa, member of parliament from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) as the leader of the opposition.
Dissanayke’s NPP won 159 seats out of the 225 seats in the parliament in the Nov. 14 parliamentary election. ■