Karunarathna Paranawithana was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media today, before President Maithripala Sirisena at the President's Office.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was also present at the event.

Paranawithana, the current Deputy Minister of Local Government and Provincial Councils is a former diplomat and a journalist.

He was the former Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media and Information between January to July this year. At that time, Gayantha Karunathilake was his Minister. Interestingly, Karunathilake is now the Minister of Parliament Reforms and Mass Media.