<span style="color: #222222;">Sri Lanka marked the completion of one year after the political crisis with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe urging the country to put party politics aside and protect democracy. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The political crisis which erupted on 26th October last year saw Wickremesinghe being replaced as Prime Minister by former President Mahinda Rajapksa. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">President Maithripala Sirisena also decided to dissolve Parliament and hold elections but the move was found to be illegal and Wickremesinghe was reappointed as Prime Minister.<br />'' <br />'' In a special statement today, the Prime Minister said that Speaker Karu Jayasuriya played a crucial role to protect democracy during the political crisis exactly one year ago. He said that the country has a duty and responsibility to ensure democracy and the future of the nation is protected.<br />'' <br />''Presidential elections in the country are scheduled for 16th of next month with 35 candidates in the fray including former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapksa and Minister Sajith Premadasa. </span>