Sri Lanka, Aug. 2 -- A bill to abolish the death penalty has been submitted to Sri Lanka's Parliament, while the president has sanctioned the hanging of four drug convicts.

The bill seems to be a move by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to stop the planned executions, which are now stayed by the courts.

He and President Maithripala Sirisena formed a unity government in 2015 but have fallen out and become rival power centers within the government.

Lawmaker Bandula Lal Bandarigoda said Friday the bill seeks to abolish the death sentence in the future and commute the sentences of those who are already on death row to life imprisonment. The bill submitted on Thursday will be taken for a vote in 14 days if no one challenges it.

Speaking...