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Universal franchise in digital era

Election Commission officials carried out a programme this week to educate members of Sri Lanka’s indigenous Vedda community in Digamadulla on the use of digital devices to support their voting rights. The officials taught them online voter registration and other features of the EC’s online portal. Pic by Gnanasiri Hettiarachchige

Vehicle imports: Treasury alerts CB over dollar drain

By Damith Wickremasekara The Treasury has warned the Central Bank that the enthusiasm shown in the import of vehicles after the ban was lifted could have a negative impact on foreign reserves and urged that precautionary measures be taken. A senior Treasury official said that in the five months after the restrictions on the import [...]

SC sees need to educate magistrates on bail norms

The Supreme Court has noted the “compelling need” for magistrates to be educated on the need to take “judicious decisions—without functioning in a perfunctory manner—with regard to applications by the police to place suspects in remand custody.” In a judgment delivered regarding a fundamental rights petition filed by two villagers arrested by the Aralaganwila Police [...]

Container release: Report calls for disciplinary action against Customs officers

An internal inquiry should be held and disciplinary action taken against Customs officers who allegedly ignored recommendations made to conduct physical inspections on a stock of high-risk ‘Red’-labelled containers after scans had detected uncertainties regarding the contents and quantities inside, says an investigation report. The report was compiled by a four-member committee that probed the [...]

Govt. reverses decision: KDU to admit local students for medical degrees

By Dilushi Wijesinghe The Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) has resumed accepting applications from fee-paying local students (day scholars) for its Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree programme. The decision comes just weeks after controversy erupted over the course being limited only to cadets and foreign students, first announced in Parliament by Deputy Defence [...]

IMF-backed reform directs Auditor General to flag fraud for law enforcement action

By Namini Wijedasa Under an IMF-recommended amendment to the National Audit Act (NAA), the Auditor-General (AG) will be bound to notify the Chief Accountant of an audited entity to “immediately” complain to law enforcement if the AG, or anyone authorised by him, has “reasonable grounds to believe” fraud, corruption or misappropriation has occurred. If the [...]

Editors’ Guild withdraws from National Media Policy Committee over lack of clarity

The Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka (TEGOSL) has withdrawn from a committee appointed by the Ministry of Mass Media to draft a National Media Policy, citing contradictory statements from ministry officials and a lack of clarity surrounding the initiative. In a press release issued by TEGOSL Secretary Mohanlal Piyadasa on July 3, the Guild said [...]

Yala paddy floor price for first time to deter private undercutting

By Kapila Bandara Yala season paddy harvest is now being collected at some state storages amid a shortage of some rice varieties and production is forecast at 2.09 million metric tonnes based on the land area cultivated as of May. From Thursday July 3, the state-run Paddy Marketing Board opened its storages to gather paddy [...]

More than 30,000 premises were inspected during the islandwide mosquito eradication drive carried out from June 30 to July 5. According to the National Dengue Control Board (NDCB), over 792 red notices have been issued so far, while legal action has been initiated in over 117 cases. The NDCB also stated that 5,482 dengue-related cases [...]

Audit flags NYC’s Rs. 538 million spend on non-priority programmes

The National Youth Services Council spent Rs. 538.79 million to implement six programmes from January to August last year, though they were not related to the priority tasks, an audit inquiry has found. The six flagged programmes were: The Smart Youth New Year Festival, the National Youth Vesak Festival, the National Youth Poson Zone, Tharuna [...]

‘The Rule should be Access to Information and the Exemption should be Refusal,’ Court of Appeal holds

By Ranjith Padmasiri Delivering three judgments upholding decisions handed down by the Right to Information (RTI) Commission in 2022 following several appeals filed before the Commission by former employees of Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) asking for information relating to various aspects of the functioning of SLT, the Court of Appeal emphasized this Thursday (3rd July [...]

SLMC should look inward and outward

Justice Yasantha Kodagoda urges 100-year-old regulator to examine itself and improve its efficacy, efficiency and integrity in its ‘dual role’ of protecting the public interest and the best interests of the medical profession By Kumudini Hettiarachchi While public concern is growing against alleged malpractices committed by medical professionals, there are accusations that the Sri Lanka Medical [...]

All in wax: The Ehelepolas’ tragic story and the fall of the Kandyan Kingdom

By L.B. Senaratne A wax museum at the historic Ehelepola Waluwa in Kandy that pays tribute to the men and women immortalised by history, both for standing up to the British as they took over the last sovereign kingdom in the country and for facing the tyranny of the last king of Kandy, Sri Wickrama [...]

Prajashakthi will take economic growth to the rural people: President

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Friday launched the “Prajashakthi” National Programme, a key government initiative aimed at empowering communities and ensuring the fair distribution of economic benefits across all levels of society. Speaking at the launch, the President said that however good the economic growth indicators looked statistically, if the advantages of this growth did [...]

What about the big hotels on illegally acquired lands, ask residents of Sigiriya

Pix and text by Kanchana Kumara Ariyadasa New constructions will not be allowed in the restricted area surrounding Sigiriya, while unauthorised structures will also be removed. This follows a decision taken by relevant stakeholders, including the Archaeology Department, the Central Cultural Fund, and other state institutions. The restricted area includes a 200-yard zone where any [...]

Chemmani mass graves: Childrens’ skeletons suspected among them

By S. Rubethesan Among the 42 human skeletons that have been recovered from the Chemmani Siththupaththi Hindu Cemetery so far, at least three of them are suspected to be those of children. When the excavation team was clearing the 11-foot-long rectangular-shaped site this week, a dress, a bag, slippers, and a toy were also recovered. [...]

Medical specialists under pressure to say “yes” to the cheapest, avoid TECs

“We want the cheapest but with ‘acceptable quality’ for patient safety” Strong call for urgent stakeholder meeting By Kumudini Hettiarachchi Experienced and senior medical specialists in state hospitals are resigning from or fighting shy of being part of Technical Evaluation Committees (TECs) during the procurement process, fearing pressure by some health officials who are urging [...]

Indian aid no justification for plunder, fishers decry theft and attacks

By Tharushi Weerasinghe Reporting from Myliddy, Jaffna At the northern tip of the Jaffna Peninsula, just west of Point Pedro, lies Myliddy, a once-thriving fishing village long cut off by war. Since its release from a high-security zone in 2017, locals have been working to rebuild their lives. The reopening of the harbour a year [...]

String of fatal boat accidents sparks maritime safety probe

By Thusitha Kumara de Silva A series of fishing vessel accidents off Sri Lanka’s southern coast has left several fishermen dead and others rescued, prompting authorities to investigate maritime safety protocols and enforcement. Among the most recent incidents, two fishermen went missing earlier this week when the multi-day fishing vessel Maxim Putha 1 capsized off [...]

Wheels grind slowly for new licence plates

By Dilushi Wijesinghe Motorists continue to face difficulties due to delays in the issuance of vehicle licence plates, with the procurement process still underway. Commissioner General of the Department of the Motor Traffic Kamal Amarasinghe, told the Sunday Times: “Around 15 suppliers have submitted their bids. The Cabinet-appointed negotiation committee held discussions with the companies [...]

CA Judge Gurusinghe recommended for SC

The Court of Appeal Judge Rathnapriya Gurusinghe has been recommended to be appointed to the Supreme Court by Chief Justice Murdhu Fernando. His name has been recommended to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to fill the vacancy created following the retirement of justice Gamini Amarasekara. The proposed name is due to be sent to the Constitutional [...]

UDA in car park manoeuvre to prevent single operator from taking all slots

The Urban Development Authority (UDA) has at once advertised two-year management contracts for five of its car parks in an effort to prevent all the plots from going to a single operator “as it happened in the past.” When the contracts for these car parks expired, most were renewed for short periods until a decision [...]

No sign of underworld killings ending soon

By Lasantha Niroshana A string of murders, including that of a youth who had objected to the narcotics menace in his village in Kahawatta, is a grim reminder that gangland killings are continuing. A shooting incident in Kandana in broad daylight, also was a reminder that bystanders too, could be victims and gangsters had no [...]

Rear seat belt requirement for passengers on expressways to come into effect to curb toll of road accidents By Dilushi Wijesinghe From August 1, all rear-seat passengers travelling in light vehicles will be required to wear seat belts when entering expressways, in line with the Action Plan for Safer Vehicles: 2025 – 2026 of the Ministry of [...]

Contempt case: Former immigration chief says he acted on instructions by ministry secretary

By Ranjith Padmasiri Former Controller General of Immigration and Emigration Harsha Ilukpitiya told the Supreme Court this week that it was on the instructions of then Public Security Ministry Secretary Viyani Gunathilaka that he did not implement the court order regarding the e-visa issuing system. In answer to a question by Justice Yasantha Kodagoda, Mr. [...]

Apeksha Hospital to get new building with specialised care for children

The foundation laying ceremony for a five storey building for the Apeksha Hospital, Maharagama was held this week with Health Minister Dr.Nalinda Jayatisssa as chief guest. However the cause for concern for many was the presence of children battling cancer who were enlisted to welcome the minister and other invitees. The project is being undertaken [...]

Immunoglobulin case: Indictments to be served on Keheliya and 11 others on July 11

By Ranjith Padmasiri The Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar has issued notices on 12 accused including former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella to appear in court on July 11 regarding the case filed against them for criminal misappropriation of nearly Rs. 144 million over the importation of counterfeit human immunoglobulin vials. Indictments filed against the accused are [...]

CA allows petition seeking nullification of Archchuna’s parliamentary seat

By Ranjith Padmasiri The Court of Appeal has granted leave to proceed to a petition filed seeking to nullify the Parliamentary seat of Jaffna District MP Ramanathan Archchuna. However, the CA bench stated that it would not issue an interim injunction preventing MP Archchuna from sitting in Parliament, as requested in the petition. The petition [...]

Personal, social risks aplenty for trans individuals

By Minaza Hassan Transgender individuals are at a significantly higher risk of suicide, especially when they face rejection, harassment or denial of medical care. In Sri Lanka, there have been instances where even basic medical services like puberty blockers or gender affirming care have been withheld, said former national consultant and psychologist, Shiyamalan Viyakesh. Gender [...]