News

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Ajith P. Perera has accused the government of improperly removing a no-confidence motion against the Speaker of Parliament from the official Order Paper.

He raised the allegation in parliament during an adjournment debate on the country's export economy.

Perera said that a panel presided over by Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne voted to pull the censure motion on 23 October without seeking advice from the Attorney General.

He said the motion was originally submitted on 9 October and formally entered into the parliamentary schedule on 12 October, after which the Committee on Parliamentary Business agreed on 16 October to consult the state's chief legal officer.

He emphasised that established parliamentary tradition required the Deputy Speaker to preside whenever a Speaker faced a motion of no confidence.

He detailed that the submission contained 50 distinct allegations, comprising 17 charges concerning the misuse of public funds, 20 counts relating to interference in bribery investigations and conflicts of interest, and 13 allegations regarding the erosion of democracy and parliamentary impartiality.

Perera stressed that opposition members retain a clear right to present their arguments on these matters on the floor of the House.

The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has announced that the mandatory submission of Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) certificates for eight specified transactions has been postponed until April 1, 2027.

The requirement was initially scheduled to take effect on November 1, 2026. However, its implementation has been deferred following a significant increase in public demand for TIN certificates.

According to the IRD, the decision was made with the approval of the Ministry of Finance, taking into consideration the growing demand from both individuals involved in the specified transactions and the general public.

The mandatory submission requirement was introduced under Section 103(6) of the Inland Revenue Act, No. 24 of 2017, as amended by the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Act, No. 11 of 2026. It was communicated through Circular No. SEC/PN/IT/2026/05 dated September 22, 2026.

During the extended period, the IRD plans to introduce alternative and more convenient methods for individuals who have already registered for a TIN to obtain their certificates.

The Department has also encouraged individuals who have not yet obtained a TIN to complete their registration through its online e-Services platform.

The IRD stressed that the requirement has been postponed rather than cancelled and will become effective on April 1, 2027.

A high-level political delegation from the Sarvajana Balaya has met with China's newly appointed envoy in Colombo to discuss deepening bilateral ties and expanding economic cooperation.

Party leader MP Dilith Jayaweera led the group during discussions at the Chinese Embassy with Ambassador Wei Huaxiang, covering trade, infrastructure, and educational opportunities for Sri Lankan youth.

During the nearly two-hour meeting, Jayaweera commended Beijing for its unwavering assistance, noting that China remains a vital partner that has consistently provided support without demanding heavy returns.

In response, Ambassador Wei described China's development philosophy as focused on capacity building, aimed at teaching local populations to become self-reliant rather than relying purely on direct aid.

The diplomat assured the delegation that Beijing operates without hidden motives in its infrastructure funding, highlighting major projects such as the Colombo Port City, Hambantota Harbour, and the Norochcholai Power Plant as long-term economic assets for the island nation.

Addressing local welfare, Ambassador Wei detailed ongoing initiatives to supply clean drinking water to areas hit by chronic kidney disease, noting that such projects directly assist thousands of citizens.

Furthermore, the Chinese envoy extended official invitations for Sarvajana Balaya representatives to undertake a study tour of China and conduct an inspection visit of the Hambantota Harbour, while also pledging higher education scholarship quotas for Sri Lankan students.

To foster closer links, Jayaweera urged the embassy to facilitate greater access to Chinese expertise, business knowledge, and entrepreneurial practices to bolster local enterprise competitiveness.

Accompanied by key party officials including Chairperson Roshan Ranasinghe and senior deputy office-bearers, the Sarvajana Balaya leader formally invited Ambassador Wei to visit the party's headquarters as both sides reaffirmed their commitment to ongoing bilateral dialogue.

Lung cancer cases in Sri Lanka have increased by approximately 50% since 2010, with health experts raising concerns over the growing number of cases among both men and women.

Consultant Thoracic Surgeon at the National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Dr. Saman Iddagoda, disclosed this during a media briefing held at the Health Promotion Bureau.

He said an analysis of data from the National Hospital for Respiratory Diseases and the National Cancer Control Programme, covering the period from 2010 to 2020, had shown an approximately 50% increase in lung cancer cases among both males and females.

According to Dr. Iddagoda, lung cancer has become one of the major cancers affecting men and is also among the 10 most common cancers among women.

He also highlighted an increase in cases among non-smokers, particularly women who have never smoked.

Meanwhile, Consultant Community Physician at the National Cancer Control Programme, Dr. Hasarali Fernando, said approximately 90% of lung cancer cases are associated with smoking.

However, she pointed out that non-smokers are also vulnerable due to exposure to second-hand smoke and indoor and outdoor air pollution.

Dr. Fernando explained that outdoor air pollution, particularly emissions from vehicles and industries, can increase the risk of lung cancer. Indoor pollution caused by burning firewood and kerosene, especially in poorly ventilated homes, was also identified as a contributing factor.

She further identified certain chronic respiratory conditions and exposure to carcinogenic substances, including radon, asbestos and silica, as additional risk factors for the disease.

Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa said that the National People’s Power (NPP) government has imposed severe economic hardship on the public by following the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) policy agenda, despite winning office on a left-wing platform.

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) leader made the remarks in parliament yesterday (04), a week before the government is due to present its budget on 12 November.

Claims of a shift to the right

Premadasa said the party that once revered Marx, Lenin and Stalin now looks up to capitalist thinkers such as Adam Smith. He said the NPP had signalled a move to the left during the election campaign but was now heading towards the extreme right. He described the government as a founding force of neoliberalism that was openly deceiving voters.

He said that voters had chosen a government to protect their rights, deliver justice and fairness and safeguard their lives. In his view, the current policy instead crushes livelihoods while allowing crony capitalists to thrive. He added that the government had done little more than follow the IMF’s lead without regard for ordinary people.

Fiscal targets and tax burden

The opposition leader said the IMF had asked for a primary surplus of 2.3% of gross domestic product (GDP), yet the government had pushed the figure to 5.4% at the public’s expense. He added that revenue of 13.9% of GDP had been deemed adequate, but the government raised the tax burden to 15.4%, taking money directly from household pockets.

Unmet election pledges

Premadasa recalled that, while in opposition, NPP figures had promised a Vitz car for Rs 1.2 million and a Japanese motorcycle for Rs 50,000. He said none of these pledges had been realised. He noted that the government had also promised to sell fuel at the price paid at the port, but prices had continued to climb. He said it had further pledged to cut electricity bills by 33%, yet was now preparing another tariff increase.

He said 80,000 graduates remained jobless after being given false promises to win their votes, and that commitments to teacher development officers and farmers had also gone unfulfilled.

Aswesuma

Premadasa said the government had still not completed the household income and expenditure survey, and was therefore drafting its budget without knowing the true poverty line. He said the NPP had claimed to be made up of walking encyclopaedias but did not grasp the real situation in the country.

He estimated that between 30% and 40% of the population now lives in poverty, and said the IMF itself had found Sri Lanka to have the highest youth unemployment, among those aged 18 to 24. He said industries were closing, jobs were vanishing and the government had no plan to halt the decline.

He also criticised the Aswesuma welfare programme, saying genuine poverty alleviation must cover consumption, production, savings, investment and exports, whereas Aswesuma addressed consumption alone. He said the scheme rested on inaccurate and unscientific data and had failed completely.

Counter-terrorism legislation

Premadasa further alleged that the government was trying to stifle public protest through a proposed law on protecting the state against terrorism. He said it was violating the economic and social rights of 22 million people. He claimed the bill would allow the government to pursue political opponents and would empower the president to decide who counts as a terrorist, which he described as both a restriction on democracy and a betrayal of the people’s mandate.

Call for elections

He urged the government to lower the tax burden and deliver the relief it had promised. He then challenged ministers, if they had the courage, to take note of political shifts in the United States, hold Provincial Council elections immediately and accept the verdict of the electorate.

The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) is expected to announce its final decision on the proposed electricity tariff revision for the fourth quarter of this year next week.

PUCSL Director of Communications Jayanath Herath said an oral public consultation on the proposed revision is scheduled to take place today (05).

The National System Operator (NSO) has requested a 2.88% increase in electricity tariffs for the final quarter of the year. However, after reviewing the proposal, the PUCSL has recommended a lower increase of 1.46%.

Herath said the Commission would reach its final decision after considering the submissions and views presented during today's public consultation.

The consultation is scheduled to be held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo, from 9.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m.

More than 40 representatives from various consumer groups and organisations in the electricity sector have registered to present their views on the proposed tariff revision.

According to Herath, the Commission has completed its preliminary assessment and published a consultation paper outlining its observations for public consideration.

The final decision on the proposed electricity tariff revision is expected to be announced during the second week of November.

A former Civil Defence officer has been arrested on suspicion of removing the tusk of an elephant found dead without its tusk in the Kumbukwewa area of Kahatagasdigiliya.

The 34-year-old suspect was taken into custody by officers from the Kahatagasdigiliya Wildlife Range Office following investigations into the elephant's death.

During searches conducted at the suspect's residence and cultivation hut, wildlife officers recovered several items, including an elephant deterrent explosive, an explosive device allegedly made using petrol, a homemade firearm, a bag containing gunpowder and related accessories, a curved knife, a metal-cutting hacksaw and several pieces of timber suspected to have been cut from the area where the elephant was found.

Wildlife officers suspect that the recovered hacksaw may have been used to remove the elephant's tusk.

The suspect was produced before the Kahatagasdigiliya Magistrate's Court today (05), where an order was issued to remand him until November 18.

Wildlife authorities are continuing investigations into the incident.

Two individuals, including a 19-year-old, have been arrested by the Central Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) over allegations of demanding Rs. 1 million in ransom while issuing death threats.

The suspects were taken into custody yesterday (04) in Unawatuna, within the Habaraduwa Police Division, following a complaint lodged with the CCIB regarding telephone calls demanding the money.

The arrested individuals, aged 36 and 19, are residents of Unawatuna.

Investigations have revealed that the suspects allegedly made the threatening calls while pretending to be an underworld criminal operating in the area.

The Central Crime Investigation Bureau is conducting further investigations into the incident.

The government plans to acquire four advanced unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for the Sri Lanka Air Force from Israel Aerospace Industries through a government-to-government arrangement, Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd.) told Parliament today.

He said the proposed acquisition is intended to strengthen the country's maritime surveillance capabilities while improving search and rescue operations and disaster response efforts.

Meanwhile, Parliament is scheduled to approve a supplementary estimate of Rs. 4.261 billion today for the establishment of the UAV system.

Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena has postponed the decision on a request to lift the overseas travel ban imposed on former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in connection with investigations into the Easter Sunday terror attacks.

The Magistrate ordered today that the decision be delivered on November 25.

Making submissions before court, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) raised concerns over whether Rajapaksa would return to Sri Lanka after travelling overseas.

However, the CID informed the court that it would not object to lifting the travel ban if appropriate legal measures were put in place to ensure his return to the country. It stated that it would oppose the request if such arrangements were not established.

The Magistrate subsequently observed that, as the former President had not been named as a suspect in the case, the court did not have the authority to issue an order ensuring his return to Sri Lanka after the travel ban was lifted.

Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala told Parliament today that stocks of tear gas held by the police have expired due to non-use.

He also stated that any group was free to organise protests against the government and that members of the public had the right to criticise the government.

"Any group is allowed to stage protests against the government. Likewise, anyone is free to criticise the government," he said.

LAUGFS Gas PLC has been taken to court by the state consumer watchdog as Sri Lanka’s liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) shortage deepens and questions grow over how the company was run.

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) filed the case on 29 October, accusing the company of breaching consumer protection directives and causing public inconvenience.

Company executives have been summoned to appear before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court on 11 November.

Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe said two promised shipments of 3,800 metric tons each, due between 24 and 28 October and in the first week of November, failed to arrive, while a cargo expected on 3 November has been pushed back to 14 November.

Sanctions expose a weak balance sheet

The disruption follows action by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, which placed Slogal Energy DMCC on its Specially Designated Nationals list.

The Dubai-based subsidiary handles part of LAUGFS’ international procurement, and the listing relates to alleged dealings involving Iranian-origin LPG shipments.

The company has denied knowingly engaging in prohibited transactions and has begun a compliance review.

The sanctions have nonetheless upset international banking arrangements, making it harder to secure letters of credit and arrange new cargoes.

Critics argue that the sanctions alone do not explain the crisis.

The company’s audited accounts show a full-year net loss of about Rs. 2.52 billion, and later reporting periods point to further losses. Group liabilities reportedly exceed Rs. 41.2 billion, against shareholders’ equity of about Rs. 1.79 billion.

Heavy borrowing and rising finance costs have further limited its ability to pay for supplies on its own.

These figures raise doubts over whether the firm could maintain statutory reserves, find alternative suppliers and meet its obligations to the domestic market. The slippage has also unsettled confidence in commitments for November and December.

New owner, old questions

The company’s ownership has changed at the same time. Billionaire businessman Dhammika Perera has acquired a 50 per cent stake in LAUGFS Holdings through Vallibel Three (Pvt) Ltd.

Co-founder Thilak De Silva sold his entire 39.6 per cent holding, and Chairman W K H Wegapitiya sold 10.4 per cent.

Perera is a former National List MP and Investment Promotion Minister, which gives the deal added weight.

His arrival does not make him responsible for the company’s earlier financial troubles or procurement failures.

The issue is whether the new arrangement will bring financial stability, transparent management and steady supplies.

The Government, for its part, must establish whether the company’s internal problems were properly disclosed before the restructuring, and whether the new controlling shareholder has committed enough money to restart procurement.

In the meantime, the state-owned Litro Gas has raised its daily distribution by 80,000 to 100,000 cylinders to make up for the lost market share, shifting the immediate burden onto the public sector.

Sri Lanka needs more than corporate assurances and rescheduled delivery dates, and only an independent investigation into LAUGFS’ procurement, finances, reserve compliance and ownership change can ensure that households do not pay for the failings of a private supplier.