President Ranil Wickremesinghe has taken control of the Ministry of Environment, following a Gazette Extraordinary announcement issued on October 12, 2023. This decision was conveyed through a communique released by Presidential Secretary Saman Ekanayake.

The move to bring the Environment Ministry under the direct purview of President Wickremesinghe comes after consultations with Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, conducted in accordance with Article 44(3) of the Sri Lankan Constitution..

This development follows a recent Supreme Court ruling that upheld the expulsion of Environment Minister Naseer Ahamed from his political party. As a result, Mr. Ahamed's parliamentary seat remains vacant, and Ali Zahir Mawlana’s name has been put forward in his place.