He pointed out to Sri Lanka Mirror that according to the constitution, the first condition to be appointed PM is that he/she should already be an MP.

The caretaker cabinet became invalidated on August 17, he noted, adding that the coming two weeks will be an interim period, during which parties can only name their national list MPs to the polls chief.

Also, the elections commissioner should gazette the new MPs before parliament is convened, Perera said.

He said the reference to Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister by certain journalists was wrong.