News

The Constitutional Council has approved President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s recommendation to appoint Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Priyantha Weerasooriya as the 37th Inspector General of Police of the country.

This decision was made when the Constitutional Council met today (12) under the chairmanship of Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne.

Priyantha Weerasuriya was appointed as the Acting IGP on 24th September 2024 and served as the Acting IGP for almost a year.

The national celebration of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, which falls today (09), was held this morning at Indigenous Museum premises, Dambana under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Sri Lanka’s foremost indigenous leader, Vishwa Keerthi Vanaspathi Uruwarige Vannila Aththo, initiated the tradition of celebrating World's Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Sri Lanka following his participation in the Indigenous Summit held in Geneva in 1996. Accordingly, the first national celebration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Sri Lanka was held in 1999 at Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo.

This year’s celebration, jointly organised by various public and private institutions, was marked with vibrant cultural events unique to the indigenous community, including the traditional ‘kiri koraha’ ritual performed to invoke blessings for peace and prosperity.

The event commenced with the President Anura Kumara Dissanayake paying floral tributes to the statue of the late indigenous community leader Uruwarige Tisahami Aththo, followed by the ceremonial planting of a white sandalwood sapling in the museum’s central courtyard.

On this occasion, Sri Lanka’s current indigenous community leader, Vishwa Keerthi Sri Vanaspathi Uruwarige Vannila Aththo, presented the President with a message outlining the concerns of the indigenous community, along with a commemorative plaque.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake also presented a gift to the Indigenous Leader.

The event also featured the commencement of stalls construction to display and sell products from the indigenous community, the launch of Sri Lanka’s first indigenous herbal soap “Kairie,” produced using traditional knowledge and locally sourced ingredients. During the event, certificates were awarded to indigenous women who successfully completed the Ayurvedic soap-manufacturing training programme.

Attendees included the Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi, other Ministers, government officials, Canadian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Eric Walsh, officials from the Canadian High Commission and a number of invited guests.

Colombo Additional Magistrate Pasan Amarasekara issued an arrest warrant for former Minister Rajitha Senaratne, following a motion filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).

The warrant relates to an ongoing investigation into a controversial sand dredging project at the Kirinda fisheries harbor, which was reportedly awarded to a Korean company. Authorities allege that the deal resulted in a financial loss exceeding Rs. 20 million to the government.

According to the motion submitted to court, Senaratne—named as the second suspect in the case—has allegedly evaded summons and is currently in hiding, prompting investigators to seek legal intervention for his arrest.

The court considered the evidence and arguments presented by CIABOC before issuing the warrant.

The government will begin construction on the first 500 metres of the Kadawatha–Mirigama section of the Central Expressway in September, Deputy Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Prasanna Gunasena said.

Speaking at an event in Battaramulla to hand over land deeds to 16 families who lost property for the first phase of the expressway, the Deputy Minister said the project faced numerous delays due to financial and contractual issues.

“When we came to power, we inherited a stalled government,” Gunasena said. “At that time, the collapse of the country meant there was no environment to start any national projects. This expressway also had many issues — from the contractor to the lending bank and project deadlines — which have now been resolved.”

The Central Expressway comprises four segments: Kadawatha–Mirigama, Mirigama–Kurunegala, Potuhera–Rambukkana, and Rambukkana–Galagedara.

Initial work on the project began in 2015, but the public has yet to benefit from the expressway, Gunasena said, adding that the construction was a key development priority.

The Department of Railways has announced the introduction of a new train service between Colombo and Badulla to cater to the high demand from both local and foreign tourists.

According to the department, the ‘Ella Weekend Express’ will operate from Colombo Fort to Badulla every Saturday at 5:30 a.m., commencing on August 16. The return journey from Badulla to Colombo Fort will operate on Sundays, starting on August 17.

A Sri Lanka Air Force Bell 412 helicopter was deployed today (Aug. 8) to assist in containing a forest fire in the Raththanagolla–Imbulpe area of Balangoda.

The aerial firefighting operation, using Bambi bucket drops, was conducted in coordination with the Disaster Management Centre under the direction of the Ministry of Defence.

Efforts aim to prevent the fire’s spread and minimize damage to forest areas.

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna has filed a petition in the Supreme Court Challenging the Presidents' Entitlement (Repeal) Bill, that aims to revoke the entitlements of former presidents.

The Administrative Secretary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Renuka Perera has filed a petition naming the Attorney General as the respondent.

The petition states that on the 7th, the government placed a bill on the parliamentary agenda to revoke the legal rights of former presidents.

It points out that Sections 01 to 04 of the proposed bill violate the principle of separation of powers guaranteed by the Constitution.

The petition further states that the provisions in the bill violate the sovereignty of the people guaranteed by the Constitution.

It also claims that the bill goes against the fundamental principles of the entire Constitution.

The petitioner seek a ruling that the disputed provisions can only be passed with a special two-thirds majority in Parliament and approval by a public referendum.

Archbishop of Colombo, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, has requested that education reforms be carried out to develop sectors like fisheries and agriculture, and to create entrepreneurs with special knowledge in those areas.

He said this during a discussion at the Archbishop’s official residence with the Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya. The meeting was held to inform her about the education reforms planned for 2026.

His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith was joined by a group of bishops led by the Archbishop.

The Prime Minister said the main goal of the education reforms is to build values in children and guide those who leave school early towards vocational training.

This way, their help in growing the country’s economy can be used.

The Prime Minister also spoke about the importance of areas like agriculture, fisheries, electrical work, and vehicle repair, and how schools are being set up to train future experts in these fields through the new reforms.

Senior journalist Daya Lankapura has been appointed Chairman of the Right to Information (RTI) Commission of Sri Lanka, by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Lankapura began his journalism career in 1965 with the newspaper ‘Attha’ and is a graduate of the University of Colombo.

He has worked for several newspapers, including Silumina, Divaina, Dinamina, Rivira, and Lakbima, Maubima,Siyatha and is widely recognized for his extensive experience in court reporting.

Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to maintaining an open vehicle market, assuring that no new taxes will be imposed on vehicle imports.

Speaking on the reopening of Sri Lanka’s vehicle import market after a five-year hiatus, the President revealed that Letters of Credit (LCs) worth USD 1,267 million have already been opened for vehicle imports.

He projected that this figure could rise to USD 1,500–1,800 million by the end of the year, reflecting pent-up demand and renewed consumer confidence.

“There were doubts about whether vehicles could be brought in. But look at what’s happening now,” he said. “This is not a burden on the 2022 or 2023 economy. We’ve absorbed it, and we’re managing it.”

President Dissanayake emphasized that Sri Lanka’s aging vehicle fleet—many over 15 to 20 years old—requires renewal, and that the auto sector itself is a vital contributor to the economy. He warned against misinformation and alleged conspiracies aimed at disrupting the market, including false claims about impending restrictions or tax hikes.

“There’s a narrative being created to scare people into rushing purchases and destabilizing the dollar,” he said. “Let me be clear: we will not restrict vehicle imports, and we will not increase taxes on vehicles.”

The President urged citizens to remain calm and assured that the government is focused on sustainable economic recovery, not short-term panic. “If you can’t buy a vehicle this year, you can next year. The market will remain open.”

GCE O/L & A/L exam 2025 : Dates announced August 10, 2025 at 3:03 PM The 2025 GCE Advanced Level (A/L) Examination will be held from November 10 to December 5, 2025, the Commissioner General of Examinations announced.

He further said the 2025 GCE Ordinary Level (O/L) Examination is scheduled from February 17 to 26, 2026.

Detailed timetables and admission cards for both examinations will be issued closer to the respective dates.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has approved the letter removing Deshabandu Tennakoon from the post of Inspector General of Police (IGP).

The letter was submitted by Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne per the resolution passed in Parliament yesterday on Deshabandu Tennakoon’s removal from Office.

Following the President’s nomination of a candidate to the Constitutional Council for the position of IGP, a new Inspector General will be appointed based on majority approval.

In the vote held in Parliament yesterday on the proposal to remove Deshabandu Tennakoon from office, 177 votes were cast in favour of the resolution, with none against. One Member of Parliament abstained from voting.

On 22nd July, it was revealed in Parliament that Deshabandu Tennakoon was found guilty of the allegations against him.

This was announced by Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne when presenting the report of the Parliamentary committee that investigated Tennakoon.

Accordingly, the committee unanimously recommended that Deshabandu Tennakoon be removed from his position. He faced allegations of abuse of power and misconduct in office.