Timeline of the presidency of Maithripala Sirisena

His Excellency Maithripala Sirisena
මෛත්‍රිපාල සිරිසේන மைத்திரிபால சிறிசேன
7th President of Sri Lanka
Incumbent
Assumed office 9 January 2015
Prime Minister	Ranil Wickremesinghe
Preceded by	Mahinda Rajapaksa
Minister of Defence
Incumbent
Assumed office 12 January 2015
12th Chairperson-in-office of the Commonwealth of Nations
Incumbent
Assumed office 9 January 2015
Preceded by	Mahinda Rajapaksa
Personal details
Born	3 September 1951 Yagoda, Gampaha District, Western Province, Ceylon
Political party	Sri Lanka Freedom Party (1967 – Present)
Other political affiliations	New Democratic Front (2014–Present)
Spouse(s)	Jayanthi Pushpa Kumari
Children	3
Alma mater	Maxim Gorky Literature Institute
Occupation	Farmer
Profession	Agriculturist
Religion	Theravada Buddhism
Signature
Website	www.maithripala.com

The following is a timeline of the Presidency of Maithripala Sirisena from his first announcement as presidential candidate in November 2014 to the present.

Pre-presidency

2014

November

• 21 November: Sri Lanka Freedom Party general secretary and cabinet minister Maithripala Sirisena defects to the opposition and announces he would run against Mahinda Rajapaksa in the coming election.
• 21 November: Sirisena and the other UPFA MPs were stripped of their ministerial positions and expelled from the SLFP.^[1][2][3]

December

• 1 December: On 1 December 2014 Sirisena signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with 36 opposition parties/civic groups promising to abolish the executive presidency, hold parliamentary elections, form an all-party national government and carry out various political reforms.^[4][5] Signatories to the MOU include the UNP, Sarath Fonseka's Democratic Party, Democratic People's Front, Azath Salley's Muslim Tamil National Alliance, Free Media Movement, Federation of University Teachers Association as well as dissident groups of the LSSP and Communist Party.^[6][7]
• 2 December: The Jathika Hela Urumaya announces it will be supporting Sirisena in the presidential election.^[8][9]
• 17 December: A stage that Sirisena had been intending to use for a campaign rally at Wanduramba near Galle was set on fire along with a vehicle by an unidentified group, and three workers installing the stage were abducted.^[10][11]
• 19 December: At a rally at Viharamahadevi Park, Maithripala Sirisena released his manifesto, titled A Compassionate Maithri Governance â€” A Stable Country^[12][13]
• 24 December: Sirisena's election office in Batticaloa was attacked in the morning by a group of around 30 unidentified people armed with firearms and petrol bombs.^[14]
• 27 December: Sirisena's election office in Irrakandi was attacked during the night.^[15]
• 30 December: The Tamil National Alliance, the largest political party representing the Sri Lankan Tamil people, endorsed Sirisena.^[16]

2015

January

• 2 January: An opposition rally in Pelmadulla was stoned by government supporters, seriously injuring at least 20, whilst Sirisena was addressing the rally.^[17][18][19]
• 3 January: As Sirisena was leaving a rally at Aralaganwila a group of government supporters arrived in a jeep and fired shots at the rally, injuring a bystander and damaging vehicles.^[20][21]

Presidency

2015

January

• 9 January: Around 8:06 (2:36 UTC) Election commissioner confirmed Maithripala Sirisena as the new elected President.^[22]
• 9 January: President Sirsena is sworn in as Sri Lanka's sixth executive president, and seventh overall, before Supreme Court judge K. Sripavan in Independence Square, Colombo at 6.20pm.^[23][24]
• 11 January: In his Inaugural address to the nation from Sri Dalada Maligawa, in Kandy, Sirisena invited all political parties to join to form a national unity government.^[25]
• 12 January: Sirisena forms an interim cabinet and calls the Parliamentary elections two years ahead of schedule for 23 April.^[26]
• 12 January: President Sirisena lifts a ban on news websites, blocked under his predecessor, and promised to enact a Right to Information bill.^[27]
• 13 January: The Sirisena government replaces retired military officer G. A. Chandrasiri as Governor of Northern Province with retired diplomat and civil servant H. M. G. S. Palihakkara.^[28][29]
• 16 January: President Sirisena, who is chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party by virtue of his presidency, is handed over leadership of the SLFP by former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, saying he does not want to see his party divided, but has vowed to remain in active politics.^[30][31]
• 27 January: President Sirisena calls for limiting the term of office of the President to 5 years from the current 6.^[32]
• 29 January: President Sirisena assumes duties as Minister of Defence, in addition to being Commander-in-Chief.^[33]
• 30 January: President Sirisena swears in Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka Kanagasabapathy Sripavan as the new Chief Justice, at the Presidential Secretariat.^[34]

February

• 2 February: President Sirisena outlines his plan for creating a drug-free Sri Lanka.^[35]
• 4 February: President Sirisena presided over the 67th Independence Day Celebrations at the Parliament Grounds.^[36]
• 10 February: President Sirisena announces the creation of a Presidential Commission to probe into corruption during that of the former government. Sirisena has appointed Supreme Court Justice Priyasath Dep to head a Commission.^[37][38]

See also

• Presidency of Maithripala Sirisena
• 100-day reform program

References

1. "SLFP rebels stripped of posts and party membership". The Nation (Sri Lanka). 21 November 2014.
2. "Sri Lanka Presidential Election Set for January 8 Next Year". NDTV. Press Trust of India. 21 November 2014.
3. "Maithripala and others sacked". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 21 November 2014.
4. Srinivasan, Meera (1 December 2014). "Sri Lankan Opposition closes ranks". The Hindu.
5. Mudugamuwa, Maheesha (2 December 2014). "Opposition parties inkpact; JHU, JVP absent". The Island (Sri Lanka).
6. Bastians, Dharisha (2 December 2014). "Common cry!". Daily FT.
7. Balachandran, P. K. (2 December 2014). "Lankan Opposition Parties Enter Into Pre-election MoU". The New Indian Express.
8. Pothmulla, Lahiru (2 December 2014). "Video: JHU for Maithri; Champika". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka).
9. "JHU backs Common Candidate". The Nation (Sri Lanka). 2 December 2014.
10. Wijeweera, Sajeewa (17 December 2014). "Maithri’s rally sabotaged". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka).
11. Santiago, Melanie (17 December 2014). "Galle stage set to hold presidential candidate’s rally set ablaze". News First.
12. "Video: Maithri launches manifesto". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 19 December 2014.
13. Imtiaz, Zahrah (20 December 2014). "Maithri's 100-day 3 phase manifesto". Ceylon Today.
14. "Common candidate's office in Batticaloa attacked". Colombo Page. 26 December 2014.
15. "Opposition candidate's election office attacked in Trincomalee". Colombo Page. 29 December 2014.
16. "Tamil party endorses opposition in Lanka elections". Gulf Times. Agence France-Presse. 30 December 2014.
17. "Sri Lanka opposition candidate escapes stoning". Arab News. Agence France-Presse. 3 January 2015.
18. "Stones pelted at Maithri’s Pelmadulla rally". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 2 January 2015.
19. "Maithri's Pelmadulla rally attacked; several injured". The Nation (Sri Lanka). 2 January 2015.
20. "Sri Lanka opposition faces bullets ahead of key vote". Arab News. Agence France-Presse. 3 January 2015.
21. Srinivasan, Meera (4 January 2015). "Gunshots ‘heard’ after Sirisena rally". The Hindu.
22. "Sri Lanka election: Maithripala Sirisena elected president in surprise result - as it happened". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
23. "Sirisena sworn in as Sri Lanka president". Al Jazeera. 9 January 2015.
24. "Maithri sworn in". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 9 January 2015.
25. "Come join us to form unity Govt: President". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 11 January 2015.
26. "New Cabinet ministers sworn in". Dailymirror.lk. Wijeya Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
27. Srilal, Ranga. "Sri Lanka's new president names 100-day cabinet before polls". Reuters. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
28. "New civilian governor appointed to Northern Province of Sri Lanka". ColomboPage. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
29. Srinivasan, Meera. "Sirisena govt appoints seasoned diplomat as Northern Province Governor". The Hindu. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
30. Balachandran, P. K. "Rajapaksa Surrenders SLFP Leadership to Sirisena but Vows to Be in Active Politics". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
31. "Maithripala Sirisena takes over party from Mahinda Rajapaksa". The Asian Age. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
32. "Presidential Term Limited to Five Years – President". president.gov.lk. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
33. "President Sirisena Assumes Duties as Minister of Defence". president.gov.lk. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
34. "New Chief Justice sworn in". president.gov.lk. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
35. "All Must Unite to Create a Drug-free Sri Lanka – President". president.gov.lk. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
36. "Independence Day Celebrations". president.gov.lk. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
37. "Presidential Commission to Probe into Corruption of Former Government". president.gov.lk. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
38. Kirinde, Chandani. "Special Presidential Commission to probe corruption". Sunday Times. Retrieved 10 September 2015.