Sri Lanka's Speaker asks President to summon Parliament immediately

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana on Tuesday asked embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to summon the House as soon as possible to discuss the current situation amid unprecedented violence and widespread protest against the government over the country' worst economic crisis in decades, according to a media report.

There are provisions for the Speaker to summon the House just to discuss the present crisis only, Serjeant- at Arms Narenda Fernando told Daily Mirror.

It was reported that the House will be resolved on Tuesday or any day this week.

The death toll rose to eight on Tuesday in the unprecedented violence in Sri Lanka that erupted after supporters of former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa attacked peaceful anti-government protesters demanding his ouster over the country's worst economic crisis that led to acute shortages of staple food, fuel and power.

Over 200 people have also been injured in the violence in Colombo and other cities.

Mahinda Rajapaksa, 76, resigned as Sri Lankan Prime Minister on Monday amid unprecedented economic turmoil, hours after his supporters attacked anti-government protesters, prompting authorities to impose a nationwide curfew and deploy Army troops in the capital.

The violence saw arson attacks on the homes of several politicians, including the ancestral home of the Rajapaksas in Hambantota.

Mahinda Rajapaksa is facing calls for his arrest from Opposition politicians for inciting violence against peaceful anti-government protesters.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa declared a state of emergency with effect from Friday midnight. This is the second time that an emergency was declared in Sri Lanka in just over a month as the island nation was in the grip of the worst economic crisis.