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Home » ColumnsGovt. withdraws proposed amendment to CPC
The Government will withdraw Criminal Procedure Code amendments that sought to deny access to lawyers prior to recording statements of suspects arrested and detained by Police. The amendment was to allow a lawyer access to suspects only after the Police recorded their statement. The decision to withdraw the amendment was made at Tuesday’s weekly meeting [...]
Please fasten your seat belts
Many, many years ago somebody said that the bikini is like a barbed-wire fence; it protects the property without obstructing the view. In more recent days there has been a new addition to female swim wear. It is the burkini – a word coined out of two others – burqa and bikini – which covers [...]
The rebranding of Mahinda as the born again ultimate liberal
The painful atonement begins, the political cleansing starts as the man for all reasons and for all seasons promises the sun, moon and stars to all MAHINDA RAJAPAKSA: There’s a kind of hush all over Lanka as remolding the Rajapaksa image begins in earnest (File photo courtesy AP.) The scarlet satakaya is still there [...]
Budget 2017: Achieving its desired goals and targets
Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake has announced the objectives and goals of the next budget. He expects to bring down the budget deficit to 4.7 percent of GDP, increase government revenues to around 14.2 percent of GDP and present a development-oriented budget. These sought-after objectives, if achieved, would improve the fiscal situation. They would pave the [...]
Is this counter-terrorism in a far deadlier garb?
A draft policy and legal framework aimed at a new law on counter-terrorism to replace Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) may well be a classic case of the cure being far worse than the disease. A bare reading of the draft immediately gives rise to several questions that gravely impact on the protection [...]
If fields are not cultivated, let the armed forces do so
The main topic these days is the budget. In this context, we need to understand the importance of being thrifty and save for the future. The Government and social action groups need to advise the people on this. Steps should be taken for banks to give a higher interest rate for savings and fixed deposits. [...]
President, UNP discuss crisis at late night meeting: Sirisena vows no one can topple Government
Public outburst on CIABOC has chilling effect on judiciary, police and international community Civic action groups question credibility of Government’s anti-corruption drive, JVP also condemns Sirisena’s remarks By Our Political Editor For the first time in his 21-month tenure as President of Sri Lanka, Maithripala Sirisena fired strong salvos at his own United National Front (UNF) Government [...]
Double, don’t trouble
My dear Maithri, I thought I must write to you because many people- including myself – have begun wondering whether there is someone who looks exactly like you who is going around impersonating you at important public functions these days. Please let me explain why we think so, Maithri. This week, we heard someone who [...]