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Home » NewsSLPP sweeps wards in South; North goes to ITAK
But coalition among opposition parties can tilt balance in councils UNP comes second, leading in Colombo count, Sirisena’s UPFA comes a distant third The recently formed Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) led by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa seems to have swept a majority of the local government wards in the south at yesterday’s countrywide polls, [...]
Kudos for Police and polls officials
Yesterday’s local council polls were arguably the most peaceful in recent decades, with election officials and Police coming in for much praise for strictly implementing election laws and taking all measures necessary to prevent any irregularities. Election officials and police officers at a counting centre in Hambantota are seen here taking a careful audit of [...]
Udayanga debacle in Dubai: Fresh team flies to Lyon to get ‘Red Notice’
A last ditch attempt is being made by the Government to persuade Interpol Headquarters in France to issue a “Red Notice” to enable the arrest of Sri Lanka’s former Ambassador to Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga, who is now in Dubai. A prime suspect in the alleged mass fraud involving the procurement of MiG 27 fighter jets [...]
Special high courts to try 60 offences; speedy trials
The Permanent High Court at Bar, to be set up shortly, will be empowered to try, hear and determine more than 60 offences, including those committed under the Foreign Exchange Act, Registered Stocks and Securities Ordinance and the Local Treasury Bills Act. The special High Court will also try offences such as money laundering and [...]
Yameen survives but Maldives still ridden with crises
An embattled Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen warded off an attempt to oust him from office but troubles are far from over in his crisis-ridden Indian Ocean archipelago. The UN Security Council is set to debate the political turmoil there as several nations including China, the United States, Britain and the European Union issued travel advisories [...]
88% of RTI requests responded to or, being processed- SLPI Study
One year after the Right to Information (RTI) Law came into effect, 88% of the RTI requests submitted to Government Ministries have been responded to or, are being processed, while 12% have been rejected, according to a study conducted by the Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI), based on data received from 22 Ministries. As per [...]
35 die in train accidents in 36 days
In the first 36 days of this year, at least 35 people have been killed in accidents involving trains, a senior Railways officials said. Railway Protection Force Superintendent Anura Premaratne said most of the tragedies could have been avoided if the victims had obeyed traffic rules or heeded advice. Citing the recent train–threewheeler accident at [...]
Universal franchise, a fiction for those who can’t vote
Despite the barrage of ads encouraging people to vote, thousands were unable to use their power of franchise yesterday. They included workers who keep vital services running – including services that enable others to cast their votes. Others include the homeless, who lack an address needed for inclusion on the electoral register. An estimated 1.5 [...]
We did our best to save the Ven. Bellanwila prelate, says doctor
As the nation bid farewell to one of the country’s erudite prelates the Ven. Prof. Bellanwila Wimalaratana Thera, questions over the death of the scholarly monk are clarified by the team of doctors who attended on him and fought hard to save his life. Dr. D. M. Sumana Handagala, Thoracic Surgeon of the National Hospital [...]
Western Province: Largely peaceful, person arrested for photographing ballot paper
A high voter turnout was recorded from the Western Province yesterday, amid a peaceful atmosphere during the first Local Government Election held under the new electoral system. The Gampaha District has the highest number of registered voters in the country with 1,724,309. Colombo District comes second with 1,652,389. Kalutara District has 941,742 registered voters. In [...]
Puthukkudiyiruppu polls for first time in 40 years; record turnout in north
It was a milestone for the people of Puthukkudiyiruppu in Mullaitivu in the Northern Province. Voters polled yesterday for the first time in four decades in a local council election. Following an election petition filed against the holding of elections in Puthukkudiyiruppu , on the basis that it was unfair to hold elections while the [...]
Women and estate workers show their voting might
Women voters came out in full force at many polling stations in the Central Province while there was also a significant turnout among the elderly population and differently-abled voters. In addition, there was a high turnout among estate workers, especially from Madulkale, Rangala, Hunnasgiriya, Udadumbara with a general pattern of high interest exhibited in the [...]
Rural people early to vote
The North Central province recorded a voter turnout of about 70 percent at yesterday’s local council elections. In the Anuradhapura district, the morning turnout was low but gradually picked up after noon. A total of 672,161 voters were eligible to vote in the district at 680 polling booths. Election monitors received a complaint that campaign [...]
Brisk voting in the Eastern Province; 50 pc turnout by noon
Polling turnout in the Eastern Province was brisk. By noon polls turnout in the Batticaloa and Trincomalee districts had exceeded 50 percent, while in the Amparai district the pace of polling was steadily picking up by noon. At the last local government elections in 2012, statistics revealed the three districts recorded the highest voter turnout [...]
Leprosy patients vote for first time; special booth in hospital
Once shunned by society with limited opportunities, leprosy patients were thrilled to have been given the chance to vote for a party of their choice at yesterday’s elections. At Hendala’s Leprosy hospital, in-house patients were among those who were keen on voting at yesterday’s elections. Candidates had visited the hospital to canvas support. “We were [...]
High turnout but not-so-peaceful conditions in Puttalam
In the North Western Province, Puttalam district recorded a high voter turnout of 70% by yesterday evening, though a number of incidents were reported from the district. Puttalam District Secretary N.H.M.Chithrananda said there was keen interest among voters. “Though several minor incidents of violence were reported, there was no hindrance to election work,” he said. [...]
Incident-free polls ensures over 60% voter turnout
Polling in the Sabaragamuwa Province concluded yesterday without any major incident. Voter turnout in both the Kegalle and Ratnapura districts were over 60%, with 80% turnout from the rural areas, by the time polls closed, according to District Returning Officers. The Kegalle district has 669,570 registered voters for 12 Local Government (LG) bodies- 1 Urban [...]
Samy Yapa’s voting pedigree is hard to beat
At 103 years of age, Samy Yapa Siriwardena from Kalahe in Galle was one of the oldest voters casting a ballot yesterday. He has been turning in ballot papers ever since voting was introduced to the country. The ancient gentleman cast his vote yesterday at Sri Sumangala Vidyalaya, Akmeemana. He is the only living headman [...]
No major incidents in Monaragala and Badulla
In the Monaragala District in the Uva Province, voting in the towns was slow compared with the rural areas. Turnout until 1p.m. was 45 percent according to Priyani Padmakulasuriya Moneragala’s District Secretray said. Major incidents had not been reported. But there had been instances of voters being transported to polling booths by candidates, canvassing around [...]
Enthusiastic 65% of voter turnout in a widely peaceful atmosphere
A peaceful atmosphere prevailed throughout the Southern Province during polling day for the Local Government (LG) Elections yesterday. Voter turnout got off to a slow start in the Galle, Matara and Hambantota districts, hovering around 20-25%, but picked up considerably later in the day, surpassing 50% by 1 pm, in all three districts. In the [...]
Red flags against gelatin use in curd
Sri Lankan dairy product makers who use gelatin, a protein made from collagen, in curd as a binding agent, will face prosecution from April 1. Director General of Health Services Dr Anil Jasinghe said manufacturers have been notified from January 28 onwards. He said not only small-scale manufacturers and entrepreneurs, but leading companies are also [...]
Appeal Court to hear petition against church festivities in Wilpattu Park
The Court of Appeal on Tuesday allowed the issuance of notice in a petition against the use of the Wilpattu National Park (NP) for festivities linked to the Pallekandal church. The petition filed by the Environmental Foundation (Guarantee) Limited (EFL) and the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) was heard by a two-judge bench comprising [...]
Porpoise completes Lanka’s full hand of cetacean wonders
Sri Lankan waters are home to 30 species of marine mammals, including dugongs, whales and dolphins. Now the remaining member of the cetacean group, the porpoise, officially joins this list. The porpoise is a close relative of the dolphins; both look similar, with a shorter beak helping to distinguish the porpoise. There are six species [...]
Camera network records expressway flyers
Drivers going on joyrides on the expressways better watch out from next month. Any driver trying to breeze through trying to make it to the other end in much less than the average two hours exceeding 100 kilometres per hour, will be captured on camera along with the licence plate number, speed, date and time. [...]
RTI Commission sees increase in number of appeals, spells out first year achievements
Since the operationalising of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, No 12 of 2016, a year ago, Sri Lanka’s first Right to Information Commission has seen a noteworthy increase in the number of appeals being filed before it. In a statement, the commission said during the previous month alone, the varied information that was obtained [...]
Right to Information Commission inquiry into missing report
Archives says search drew a blank, but RTI commission insists on thorough search They mystery surrounding the missing report of the Presidential Commission that inquired into the death of former minister and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress founder M.H.M. Ashraff has taken a new turn, with the the commission secretary saying he handed over a copy [...]
Sea of trash: Inland and overseas garbage washes up on Lanka’s beaches
The mounting coastal litter along Colombo’s coastal belt and other tourist areas of the country is increasingly becoming breeding grounds for dengue. From plastic bottles to electrical appliances, the list of what ends up along the coast as litter is endless. While tiny particles of discarded plastics (the micro plastic) are destroying marine life, the [...]
Pick of the Pix
Pix by Indika Handuwala, Amila Gamage, Shelton Hettiarachchi, Ratnasiri Premalal and Nayanajeewa Bandara
Politics obstructs justice for children
Statutory rape of boys, age of criminal responsibility, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex children, corporal punishment, justice for juveniles, were some concerns highlighted in the recent report on Sri Lanka by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. However, experts in children’s rights doubt that recommendations will be implemented because of [...]
Galle Fort Library: A treasure trove of rare books
The ‘Galle Fort Library’ built during the Dutch era (1638 – 1796) is an archive of historical documents and contains many rare books dating back to the year1832. The library is is a national treasure and needs to be preserved. Identified as the first library of the country, it houses the first journal published in [...]