Controversial politician Mervyn Silva MP has resigned as Deputy Minister of Media, The Island learns. He was sworn in as the Deputy Minister of Highways yesterday. Although he said on Wednesday morning that he had resigned from that post, he later contradicted himself and insisted that he would function as both Deputy Minister of Media and Deputy Minister of Highways. This led to some confusion in the media circles.

Presidential Secretariat sources said President Mahinda Rajapaksa had accepted Silva’s resignation from the post of Deputy Media Minister.

A Gazette announcing the new ministers and deputy ministers is expected to be issued today and it will put the matter to rest, according to government sources.