The name of L.K. Jagath Priyankara has been gazetted to fill the vacancy in Parliament created by the passing of Sanath Nishantha.

Priyankara, next in line in the Puttalam District, is a stalwart member of Wimal Weerawansa's National Freedom Front (NFF) and contested under the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) ticket in the previous Parliamentary election.

Weerawansa, however, has now distanced himself from the ruling party. 

The announcement of Priyankara's nomination to Parliament comes days after the funeral of Sanath Nishantha.