Sri Lanka’s president dissolved Parliament ahead of schedule on Monday and set new elections for April in which he aims to secure a strong majority allowing him to push for constitutional changes to increase presidential powers.

The government printing press has received the gazette notification signed by the President to dissolve Parliament and the government printer states that it has been forwarded for printing.

The new democratic and progressive people’s revolution in the history of Sri Lanka has begun today, says Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa.

The United National Party (UNP) would contest the upcoming Parliamentary Elections under its elephant symbol, UNP Assistant Leader MP Ravi Karunanayake said.

“Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage is popular among upcountry people as well as Northerners, because of his fluency in Tamil,” said Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, addressing a ceremony named ‘The Mahindanandaya in 30 years.’

UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has requested the public to vote wisely at the upcoming parliamentary polls and elect a parliament that protects the freedom of the people and strengthen the economy.

The official launching of Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB), the new coalition formed under the leadership of United National Party (UNP) Deputy Leader and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa will be held today at the Nelum Pokuna assembly hall in Colombo.

The Department of Meteorology states that the Heat Index is likely to reach the cautionary level in the coming few days in some parts of the country.

The majority of the United National Party (UNP) Working Committee has agreed to contest the upcoming general election under the election symbol ‘Elephant’.

The public has been requested not to display photographs or portraits of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in public places, stated President’s Media Division (PMD).

22 university students including the convenor of the Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF) Ven. Rathkarawwe Jinarathana Thera, who were arrested for protesting outside the University Grants Commission (UGC), were remanded till tomorrow.

The government says it would sign the proposed US Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact after re-negotiating what was agreed upon during the previous Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration.

Speculation was rife that the eighth Parliament of Sri Lanka would be dissolved by midnight tomorrow for the country to go for fresh elections to elect a new Parliament.

A haul of drugs containing 68kg of heroin and 50kg of Crystal Methamphetamine (‘Ice’) have been seized from Galle sea, says the Navy Spokesperson.

Former Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera has said that the decision to co-sponsor Geneva Resolution 30/1 was taken by the yahapalana government under the leadership of then President Maithripala Sirisena.

Two Sri Lankans arriving from Italy were admitted to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (IDH Hospital) in Angoda with signs of fever and cough yesterday.