India on Wednesday refuted "baseless and purely speculative" media reports about efforts at a political level from New Delhi to influence political leaders in Sri Lanka on the voting by members of Parliament to elect the new President of the island nation.
"These media reports are completely false. They are clearly a figment of someone's imagination," the High Commission of India in Colombo tweeted Wednesday afternoon.
"It is reiterated that India supports the realization of aspirations of the people of Sri Lanka in accordance with democratic means and values, established institutions as well as constitutional provisions, and doesn't interfere in internal affairs and democratic processes of another country," it added.
The island nation, currently going through political and economic instability, is electing today its new President to replace Gotabaya Rajapaksa who recently fled the country after massive anti-government protests and later resigned
Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe, National People’s Power (NPP) Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Dullas Alahapperuma are the nominees for the Presidential ballot.
The Parliament of Sri Lanka, in exercise of the provisions of the Sri Lankan Constitution, has today elected H.E. Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe as the President of Sri Lanka.
As a close friend and neighbour of Sri Lanka and a fellow democracy, we will continue to be supportive (1/2)
— India in Sri Lanka (@IndiainSL) July 20, 2022
Meanwhile, India has also advised its nationals in Sri Lanka to remain aware of the latest developments and accordingly plan their movements and activities.
The message from the High Commission of India in Colombo came after Vivek Varma, an Indian national and Director of the Indian Visa Center, sustained grievous injuries in an unprovoked assault near Colombo late Monday.
Officials of @IndiainSL met in the morning Mr. Vivek Varma, an Indian national and Director of Indian Visa Center, who sustained grievous injuries in an unprovoked assault last night near #Colombo. Matter brought to attention of authorities in #SriLanka. (1/ pic.twitter.com/tUc0SOq0Gd
— India in Sri Lanka (@IndiainSL) July 19, 2022
Reiterating that relations between the people of India and Sri Lanka have always been cordial and friendly, the High Commission said that the matter has been brought to the attention of authorities in the country.
