Category: Local News

The Election Commission (EC) was empowered to strip a candidate of his or her seat in Parliament if he or she had campaigned at a place of worship, EC Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said, in Kandy, yesterday, after meeting the Mahanayake Theras of the Asgiri, Malwathu Chapters and Ramanna Nikaya.

Sri Lanka has rejected the inaccurate assertions made by the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday directed officials to ensure the supply of the required amount of fertilizer for the Yala season without delay.

The Attorney General has directed the Acting IGP to obtain arrest warrants against several suspects in the Central Bank bond scam case including former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake, former CBSL Governor Arjuna Mahendran and PTL owner Arjun Aloysius.

The Health Ministry has taken measures to subject all passengers arriving in the country by sea and by air from South Korea, Italy and Iran to a 14 day quarantine process with the aim of preventing the Corona Virus (COVID-19) from entering Sri Lanka, said Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi.

The first Sri Lankan woman to be infected with the Covid-19 or Coronavirus has been reported from Italy.

Sri Lanka’s president dissolved Parliament ahead of schedule on Monday and set new elections for April in which he aims to secure a strong majority allowing him to push for constitutional changes to increase presidential powers.

The government printing press has received the gazette notification signed by the President to dissolve Parliament and the government printer states that it has been forwarded for printing.

The new democratic and progressive people’s revolution in the history of Sri Lanka has begun today, says Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa.

The United National Party (UNP) would contest the upcoming Parliamentary Elections under its elephant symbol, UNP Assistant Leader MP Ravi Karunanayake said.

“Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage is popular among upcountry people as well as Northerners, because of his fluency in Tamil,” said Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, addressing a ceremony named ‘The Mahindanandaya in 30 years.’

UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has requested the public to vote wisely at the upcoming parliamentary polls and elect a parliament that protects the freedom of the people and strengthen the economy.

The official launching of Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB), the new coalition formed under the leadership of United National Party (UNP) Deputy Leader and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa will be held today at the Nelum Pokuna assembly hall in Colombo.

The Department of Meteorology states that the Heat Index is likely to reach the cautionary level in the coming few days in some parts of the country.

The majority of the United National Party (UNP) Working Committee has agreed to contest the upcoming general election under the election symbol ‘Elephant’.

The public has been requested not to display photographs or portraits of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in public places, stated President’s Media Division (PMD).