Colombo, Jul 15 (IANS): Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn-in as the interim President

of the island nation on Friday.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe was sworn-in before Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, Daily Mirror reported.

Earlier in the day, Sri Lankan Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena officially announced the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The Speaker said, "As one of the oldest democracies in South Asia, I urge all the political parties and the people to assist to follow the democratic practices and take necessary steps to resolve the current situation," the Speaker said.

The Parliament would be summoned on Saturday (July 16) to take nominations for the next President and then to have an election among 225 MPs.

Gotbaya Rajapaksa had e-mailed his resignation to the Speaker, moments after he arrived in Singapore.

The island nation saw months of protests over food, fuel shortage and mishandling of economny. Inflation in the crisis-hit country is more than 50 per cent.