Sri Lankan High Court Blocks Move to Dissolve Parliament

Move temporarily thwarting president’s attempt to replace premier, call early elections, is latest twist in a political showdown on island nation

Uditha Jayasinghe

Nov. 13, 2018 1:20 p.m. ET

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka—The country’s highest court blocked an order to dissolve Parliament and hold national elections, the latest twist in a political showdown between Sri Lanka’s president and its lawmakers.

Sri Lanka has been caught in a constitutional crisis since President Maithripala Sirisena in October appointed former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as prime minister without Parliament’s approval, then moved to dissolve Parliament last week, arguing that the people, not Parliament, should have the right to accept or reject...