Sri Lankan Parliament on Wednesday approved a no-confidence motion against new Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his controversially appointed government, a day after the Supreme Court stayed a presidential decree dissolving the legislature. The majority (of the 225-member Assembly) voted to support the no-confidence motion against former strongman Rajapaksa who was made Prime Minister in October replacing Ranil Wickremesinghe, said Speaker Karu Jayasuriya in a statement.

The Speaker will now send a copy to President Maithripala Sirisena with a letter bearing the signatures of 122 legislators, declaring the appointment of Rajapaksa and his Cabinet as unconstitutional, according to the statement. The no-confidence motion on Rajapaksa and his government was presented by Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) legislator Anura Kumara Dissanayaka and seconded by JVP legislator Vijitha Herath, Colombo Telegraph reported.