Legal action to stop unapproved awarding of national honors: President’s Secy

The President’s Secretary, Saman Ekanayake, has initiated legal action preventing the improper use and bestowing of honorary titles and national honors.

The President’s Office is carefully monitoring cases in which individuals and non-governmental organizations are giving fictitious awards, diplomas, and titles to notable Sri Lankans in place of the significant national honors that the President has bestowed upon them, the President's Media Division said.

Traditionally, these awards are granted via a formal procedure that is carefully examined by authorized officials, the PMD said.

The President’s Secretary highlights the need to immediately put an end to the misuse of national award titles by unauthorized entities. Such actions have the potential to cause significant injustice and disrespect to the genuinely esteemed Sri Lankan recipients of these honors, he noted.

Cabinet ministers and provincial governors oversee the nomination procedure for national awards.

A Selection Committee headed by the Prime Minister’s Secretary and nominated by the President reviews recommendations for choosing recipients, who may be either Sri Lankan or foreign nationals and who have shown extraordinary service to Sri Lanka.

A new application mechanism is being developed in order to involve eligible Sri Lankans in the nomination process, the PMD said.

After the President signs off, a group of scholars chosen by the President's Secretary meets to evaluate and choose the recipients.

On specified days, including the National Independence Day, National Heroes Day, and events honoring non-Sri Lankan honorees, the President will deliver the awards once the names of the selected recipients are formally published in a gazette, the PMD added.