Sri Lanka Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena on Monday told news agency ANI that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is still in the country. The Speaker added that he made a mistake in the BBC interview in which he said that the President has left the island and is in a nearby country.

Rajapaksa has officially conveyed to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe that he will resign on July 13 as previously announced, the Prime Minister's office said on Monday, days after protesters stormed the leaders' homes in rage over their mishandling of the country's worst economic crisis.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe also said he was willing to resign and make way for an all-party government to take over. Protesters breached his private residence and set it on fire, according to his office.

"President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has officially informed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe that he will be resigning as previously announced," a statement from the PM's office said.

New President to be elected on July 20

Minister of Urban Development and Housing, Prasanna Ranatunga on Monday announced that the new President of Sri Lanka will be elected on July 20.

Ranatunga said that the party leaders have decided to elect a new President on July 20, if President Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigns on July 13, reported an agency.

(With inputs from agencies)