Former Minister Dullas Alahapperuma says he will contest for the Presidency when Parliament calls for nominations next week. 

Sri Lanka is set to elect a new President following the official resignation of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. 

Public uprisings over the economic crisis forced Rajapaksa to flee to the Maldives and then to Singapore, after which he had to tender his resignation. 

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the Acting President of Sri Lanka today until the appointment of a new President in Parliament next week. 

The Parliament will convene tomorrow (16) to commence the procedure for the election of a new President. 

Nominations for the post of President are expected to be accepted a few days later, after which a new President is expected to be elected by the 20th of July. 

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena has stated that he intends to carry out the necessary Parliamentary procedures in this regard as soon as possible and ensure the election of a new President within the next 07 days. (NewsWire)