Amid political crisis, Sri Lanka President Rajapaksa revokes state of emergency

Amid worsening political crisis, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa revoked the state of emergency he had declared on April 1.

The ordinance had given security forces sweeping powers to curb any disturbance in the country.

The ruling coalition seems to have lost its majority in the 225 member Parliament, with over 40 MPs declaring independence-the rate it is going, the legislation would not jabe passed the assembly.

The emergency approval needs to be ratified in the assembly after 2 weeks of it coming into effect.

The second largest group within the ruling Sri Lanka People's Party (SLPP) coalition had officially conveyed to Rajapaksa that their 14 members would not back the motion.

The government had barred gatherings and ordered internet service providers to restrict social media access, tightening curbs amid planned demonstrations calling for President Rajapaksa's ouster over soaring living costs and a foreign exchange crisis.

The move to block social media platforms has come in for criticism from the government's own ranks.

The government's blockade of social media platforms forced top government information communications technology official Oshada Senanayake to resign. "The island nation is undergoing the worst economic crisis in history which has led to a severe shortage of food and fuel as the country it runs out of dollars to pay for imports. The public has been suffering for weeks with long lines for fuel, cooking gas, essentials in short supply and long hours of power cuts.