Mahinda Rajapaksa cannot take actions as Sri Lankan PM : Court of Appeal rules

"The respondents were noticed to appear in Court on December 12," reported Daily Mirror Newspaper of the island nation.

As per a report published by the Colombo Telegraph, the Court of Appeal gives its order on Writ of Quo Warranto filed by 122 MPs challenging former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his purported government’s continuation in office.  

According to the newspaper report, the Court of Appeal also issued notice on respondents and directs them to show by what authority they hold office.

Sri Lanka is passing through a political crisis since late October.

Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena in October sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and appointed former president Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new premier.

He took oath as the new premier of the country on Oct 26.

Relations between Sirisena and Wickremesinghe's political parties, who have governed in coalition since 2015, received setback since both suffered humiliating losses in February's local council elections.

According to reports, they have clashed in cabinet recently over government plans to lease a container terminal to neighbouring India.