May 07, Colombo: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa postponed parliament for a month effective Tuesday midnight (06). The government issued a special Gazette notification announcing the prorogation last night.

Parliament sittings are to resume on June 5 with a session presided over by the President.

Sri Lanka’s main opposition UNP criticized the President’s decision saying that the move is aimed to cover up the malpractices in the Eastern provincial elections and to prevent the opposition raising the issue.

Meanwhile, the parliament passed Emergency extension yesterday with 76 voting for and 17 against. Marxist party, JVP voted for the Emergency while the LTTE proxy party TNA voted against it. Opposition UNP abstained from voting.