Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has revoked the state of emergency in the country amid protests from opposition politicians, civil rights activists and the public, officials said Wednesday.

The state of emergency came into force on April 1.

It gave sweeping powers to the armed forces to carry out search operations and arrests soon after the president’s residence was surrounded by protesters demanding his resignation.

Opposition lawmakers and some ruling party members refused to endorse the president’s state of emergency.

Parliamentary approval would be needed within a month if it were to continue.

On Wednesday, lawmakers opened a two-day debate on the current situation as protests continued outside the parliament, placed under heavy security.

Protests against the rising cost of living, fuel and gas shortages, and prolonged power cuts have begun since mid-March. A curfew declared last weekend aimed to prevent protests was largely unsuccessful.

Over the past few months, the country has faced an unprecedented economic crisis due to a lack of foreign exchange to pay for fuel, gas, and food shipments.

The government blamed the global economic situation and the COVID-19 pandemic for the current situation, but the opposition claimed mismanagement as the cause of the crisis.

(dpa/NAN)