May 21, Colombo: The state of emergency, imposed in Sri Lanka earlier this month, has been revoked with effect from Friday night (May 20). President Gotabaya Rajapaksa declared a state of emergency in the country on the 6th of May in accordance with the powers vested in him by the Constitution, in order to ensure public safety and the well-being of the country and to maintain the essential supplies and services to the public life due to the existence of a public emergency in the country.

The State of Emergency was in effect for 14 days. If the state of emergency is to be enforced further, the approval of the majority of the members of Parliament will have to be obtained.

However, the motion to extend the state of emergency was not tabled in the last session of Parliament.

Envoys of the European Union, the United States and several other western countries expressed concern over President Rajapaksa declaring an island wide State of Emergency in the country.

Accordingly, the Presidential Secretariat stated that the state of emergency imposed in the country was lifted after midnight yesterday.