Colombo: Muslim women in Sri Lanka will not be allowed to wear any form of face veils in public from Monday under the new regulations announced by President Maithripala Sirisena, who used emergency powers in the wake of the Easter Sunday bombings.

The new regulation banning any form of face covering was announced by the President on Sunday, a week after the coordinated blasts hit three churches and three luxury hotels, killing over 250 people and injuring more than 500 others. It specifically mentions "any face garment which hinders identification".