Sri Lanka's new government will maintain a state of emergency and the national parliament will be asked to ratify the tough laws, officials said.President Mahinda Rajapakse, who was sworn in Saturday after his victory at Thursday's election, was due to prorogue parliament later Monday and summon the assembly on Friday, officials said.

"After parliament holds its ceremonial sitting with an address by the new president, the assembly will meet again that afternoon to ratify the state of emergency," the official said.

The current emergency laws were declared by former president Chandrika Kumaratunga on August 13, a day after foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was assassinated by suspected Tamil Tiger rebels.

Emergency laws give sweeping powers to police and security forces to arrest and detain suspects for lengthy periods without warrants.

The parliament was on Tuesday due to debate the national budget unveiled by former finance minister Sarath Amunugama earlier this month, but Rajapakse said he would unveil a new budget incorporating his election promises.

However, no new date has been decided to announce the new budget. - AFP

-Amal Jayasinghe: win98win@gmail.com