Defence Ministry Secretary Hemasiri Fernando tendered his letter of resignation to President Maithripala Sirisena this evening. 

Sources close to the President confirmed that Fernando's letter of resignation would come into effect with effect from 6 PM. 

President Sirisena asked Fernando and IGP Pujith Jayasundara to resign from their positions in the wake of the Easter Sunday explosions. 

Fernando is the first senior official in the defence apparatus to step down over the Easter Sunday attacks.

However, a question still lingers over the potential successor of Fernando as former Army Commander Daya Ratnayake, who was described by the media as a front-runner for the post, stated that he has not received any official invitation to act as the Defence Ministry Secretary.