Chennai: Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Raajpakshe on Monday dissolved the incumbent cabinet, six months ahead of its schedule. International political observers have opined that Rajapakshe would be aiming to bag a strong majority, allowing him to bring about constitutional changes that increase the powers vested in the president.
According to sources, the dissolution, which came into effect at midnight on Monday, reschedules the democratic system of the island nation by six months. The new election date mentioned in the circular is April 25. Gotabaya had explained he could hardly work as his powers have been reduced - a move initiated by former president Maithripala Sirisena.
The election campaigning period will include the first anniversary of the ISIS-inspired suicide bombings that happened on Easter Sunday last year that killed more than 250 people in churches and tourist hotels. Rajapaksa rode to power criticising the previous government for the security lapse, and the incident indeed was the bloodiest to occur in Sri Lanka since the civil war.