Sri Lanka president agrees to summon parliament on November 7 – speaker

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has agreed to summon parliament on November 7, speaker Karu Jayasuriya said on Friday, following calls by political parties for a floor test to determine which party held the majority.

The country was thrown into political turmoil after Sirisena appointed opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa as prime minister last week after abruptly dismissing the government of Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Wickremesinghe has said his removal is unconstitutional and has demanded he be allowed to prove his majority in the 225-member parliament.

"President called me over the phone and stated to call the parliament on November 7," Jayasuriya told lawmakers.

On Thursday, Rajapaksa said president Sirisena had told him that parliament will be reconvened on November 5.

Pressure on president

Sirisena had earlier prorogued the parliament till November 16 but political parties and foreign powers urged an earlier session to resolve the crisis. 

Sirisena's moves have triggered a power struggle and some observers call it a constitutional crisis.

"There were talks between the speaker and the president last evening. This is a compromise," an official involved in the process told AFP news agency.

"Otherwise, the speaker was going to defy the president and summon parliament on Friday."

It was not immediately known whether parliament would vote on the crisis on Monday.

Crucial vote to prove majority

The United States, neighbouring India and SriLanka's key financial backer China have called on the rivals to peacefully resolve the crisis.

Wickremesinghe has remained bunkered in the prime minister's official residence in Colombo with hundreds of his followers camped outside.

He has repeatedly demanded that the legislature be recalled for him to prove his majority in the 225-member assembly.

Rajapakse, whose decade as president up to 2015 became known for corruption allegations and the brutal ending of the Tamil civil war, is working out of a separate building that is officially the prime minister's offices.

The 72-year-old has named a small ministerial team of 12 and addressed bureaucrats at the finance ministry on Wednesday. He added another 14 ministers on Thursday night.

The two rivals are also jockeying for power behind the scenes, battling to tempt lawmakers from opposing sides to bolster their numbers for when a vote is held.

Both sides have asked legislators on foreign visits to return home immediately.