* Newly elected Chief Ministers of Sri Lanka sworn in today
Friday, February 27, 2009, 14:09 GMT, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Feb 27, Colombo: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa swore in the newly elected Chief Ministers of the Central and North Western Provinces at a ceremony held at Presidential Secretariat today.

The incumbent Chief Minister of Central Province Sarath Ekanayake and Chief Minister of North Western Athula Wijesinghe took Oath of Office for another four year of their respective provinces.

Another eight provincial council ministers of the two PCs also took oaths before the President. Sarath Ekanayake topped the UPFA preference list with 99,932 while his rival and former Minister S.B. Dissanayake topped the UNP nominees with 181,783 votes. However since ruling United People's Freedom Alliance won the Central PC, Ekanayake was elected as the Chief Minister. Athula Wijesinghe secured top of the list with 90, 295 votes at the North Western Provincial Council election to become the Chief Minister.

Picture by Sudath Silva