Sri Lanka's new govt holds its first Cabinet meeting with only 3 ministers

Sri Lanka's new National People's Power (NPP) government has held its first Cabinet meeting with just three ministers in attendance, according to officials.

The new Cabinet Spokesman Vijitha Herath, who holds multiple ministries, said that he, along with the newly-appointed President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the prime minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya, were the only attendees at Monday's meeting.

It was the smallest Cabinet meeting ever, he said.

Last week, President Dissanayake appointed his cabinet of four, including himself, before dissolving the Parliament to call a snap election on November 14. The last parliament was convened in August 2020.

The constitution limits the cabinet positions to 25 ministers. Herath said while the same number would be maintained after they win the next election, no ministers of state would be appointed.

The parliamentary election to appoint 225 members of the Parliament House comes closely on the heels of the September 21 presidential election.