Sri Lanka's prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has been sworn in Acting President on Friday.

Ranil took oath of office in front of Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya according to Sri Lankan media reports.

The island nations former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed Ranil as the interim president on Wednesday while in self-exile. Gotabaya submitted his resignation on 14 July after flying to Singapore from Maldives.

Ranil was sworn in on Friday shortly after Speaker of Parliament, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, announced Gotabaya's resignation had been accepted. The parliament announced that they will begin works of electing a new president on Saturday, and asked all the political parties to show support in the matter.