Sri Lankan government has plunged into a constitutional crisis as the rejection of Court of Appeal President Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne's appointment as a Supreme Court judge by the Constitutional Council (CC).

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena reveals a lack of majority support, stalling the decision.

With only five out of nine members opposing the nomination, deadlock ensues. Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and two others back the President's choice, while the Speaker asserts his inability to proceed.

The crisis extends to the extension of acting Inspector General of Police Deshabandu Tennakoon's tenure, requiring CC approval after the initial period lapses. Amid mounting uncertainty, the nation braces for a legal battle as a case challenging the CC's decision unfolds.