COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s strongman leader Mahinda Rajapakse will step down from his disputed position of premier, his son said on Friday, signalling an end to a crippling seven-week long power struggle. Rajapakse’s legislator son Namal said he will quit on Saturday “to ensure stability of the nation”, after the Supreme Court ordered that he should not exercise the powers of the office he has claimed since October 26. The latest decision of Rajapakse to back down came as the Supreme Court ruled that he and his purported cabinet should not exercise the powers of the office they claim until he could prove his legitimacy. Rajapakse failed to prove his majority in parliament and was twice defeated in no-confidence motions on November 14 and 16, but refused to step down. Wickremesinghe also refused to step down since October 26 maintaining that his sacking was illegal.

Source: Pakistan Today December 14, 2018 14:15 UTC