News

Medical Laboratory Technologist and trade union activist Ravi Kumudesh has been suspended from service, effective from 10 June 2025.

Ravi Kumudesh has been suspended for contesting the 2024 General Election, in violation of the Establishments Code.

According to the Ministry of Health, as such, Ravi Kumudesh will not receive any salary or allowances.

It is also stated that he is barred from travelling abroad until disciplinary action is initiated.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) today (6) formally indicted former Minister Mervyn Silva, before the Colombo High Court on charges of amassing wealth disproportionate to his lawful income.

The indictment, presented before High Court Judge Aditya Patabendi, alleges that Silva violated provisions of the Bribery Act by unlawfully acquiring assets worth millions of rupees.

These include luxury vehicles, high-value properties, and multiple bank accounts.

Following the indictment, the court granted bail to Silva under two personal sureties of Rs. 5 million each. The case is scheduled to be taken up again on July 11, 2025.

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the suspension of Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya, as investigations continue into the unauthorised release of inmates allegedly under the false pretext of a presidential pardon.

The move comes in the wake of a formal complaint lodged by the Presidential Secretariat, which accused prison authorities of misusing the presidential pardon process to unlawfully release certain inmates.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has since launched a full-scale inquiry into the matter.

Upuldeniya was questioned by CID officers for over 10 hours on Saturday (08), as part of the ongoing investigation.

The controversy centres around the release of an inmate from Anuradhapura Prison on Vesak Poya Day, who was not on the official list of 388 prisoners approved to receive clemency by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

The inmate had reportedly been convicted of financial fraud.

Meanwhile, the Assistant Commissioner of Anuradhapura Prison was arrested by the CID on Saturday in connection with the incident.

The arrest marks the first in what is expected to be a wider crackdown on individuals involved in what authorities now suspect may be a pattern of irregular prison releases.

Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala described the matter as “serious and unacceptable,” and confirmed that there are indications of similar incidents having occurred in the past.

A progress review meeting on projects under the Ministry of Urban Development, Construction and Housing was held= at the Presidential Secretariat, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

The discussion covered urban development efforts aimed at enhancing Sri Lanka’s appeal as a tourist destination, ongoing canal purification and solid waste management in the Colombo District, water supply projects, and housing assistance programs, the President’s Media Division said.

President Dissanayake directed officials to ensure that all projects are completed within their original timelines without delays.

Attendees included Minister of Urban Development, Construction and Housing Anura Karunathilaka, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwardana, Secretary to the Ministry of Urban Development Ranjith Ariyaratne, Senior Additional Secretaries to the President Russell Aponsu and Kapila Janaka Bandara, as well as senior officials from the relevant ministries.

The wholesale price of a 50kg bag of cement will be increased by Rs. 100 with effect from today (8), according to company sources quoted by Ada Derana.

While the price revision is reportedly being implemented, no official announcement has been issued by cement manufacturers or relevant authorities as of yet.

A tree planting and conservation initiative was launched Wednesday along Marine Drive, from Kollupitiya Railway Station to Wellawatte, in observance of World Environment Day.

The project, part of the “Clean Sri Lanka” programme, is being led by the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat Office. On its first day, 1,600 Takkada (Scaevola taccada) saplings were planted, with a target of reaching 6,000.

Scaevola taccada, listed as a threatened species on the Red Data List, is known for its resistance to saline environments. The plant grows up to six feet and is considered suitable for urban settings due to its dense foliage and compact size.

The project involves state institutions, private sector organizations and members of the public. Participating agencies include the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Police, Sri Lanka Railways, Road Development Authority, Urban Development Authority and Colombo Municipal Council. It is sponsored by LB Finance PLC and Hemsandu Marketing Company.

Colombo Municipal Councillor Vraie Cally Balthazaar and Senior Additional Secretary to the President G.M.R.D. Appuhamy were among those in attendance.

The Presidential Secretariat has refuted reports that a person serving a term for financial fraud had been given a presidential pardon.

In a statement, it said it has taken note of reports claiming that an individual named W.H. Athula Tilakaratne, who had been serving a sentence at the Anuradhapura Prison, was released under the Presidential Pardon granted on the occasion of Vesak 2025, and that a serious irregularity may have occurred in connection with this incident.

As per the Article 34 (1) of the Constitution, the Head of State is vested with the authority to grant a pardon to convicted prisoners.

Under this Constitutional provision, the names of eligible inmates are selected by prison authorities and submitted to the Ministry of Justice.

After a review by the Ministry, the final list is forwarded to the Presidential Secretariat for approval by the President.

However, in relation to the above incident, the official list of 388 inmates recommended for pardon submitted by the Commissioner General of Prisons to the Presidential Secretariat under reference number 06/01/Proposal/Pres.Pardon/List/05-12/2025 dated May 6, 2025 does not include the name of the individual in question, who had been convicted in connection with a financial fraud case at Anuradhapura Prison.

Accordingly, this individual was not among those approved by the President to receive a pardon.

In response to this, the Presidential Secretariat officially submitted a complaint to the Criminal Investigation Department yesterday (06), under the title “Release of a Prisoner Without Presidential Approval Under the Presidential Pardon”, requesting a special investigation into the matter.

A formal inquiry will be conducted and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against any responsible officials found to have been involved in this unauthorized release, it said.

Sri Lanka's President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has acknowledged the deep-rooted environmental and administrative crises facing Sri Lanka, placing significant blame on political authority and calling for urgent reform.

The speech, delivered before a gathering of officials and stakeholders to mark World Environment Day, began by highlighting the contrast between Sri Lanka’s natural beauty and the hidden tragedies beneath. The President reflected on the country’s transformation from a land once free of natural disasters to one plagued by landslides, floods, and droughts.

A key focus was the escalating human-elephant conflict, with statistics revealing that approximately 172 people and 450 elephants die annually due to these encounters. The President emphasized the breakdown of harmony between humans and nature, calling it a national tragedy.

The address took a bold turn as President AKD directly accused political figures of contributing to environmental degradation. From illegal sand mining and rock quarrying to deforestation and unauthorized mining, the President pointed to political protection and ownership as root causes.

President Dissanayake also criticized segments of the administrative system, citing corruption in departments such as the RMV, Immigration, Customs, and the Ministry of Environment. While acknowledging that not all officials are complicit, the President urged the bureaucracy to shed outdated practices and embrace reform.

The President pledged full political support for systemic change and warned that those unwilling to change would be changed.

The National Poson Week begins today (June 7).

The Poson Week will continue until June 13, with the National Poson Festival planned to be held, centered around the sacred cities of Anuradhapura, Mihintale, and Thanthirimale.

Anuradhapura District Secretary K.P. Ranjith Wimalasooriya said that all necessary arrangements have been made for the convenience of devotees arriving for the National Poson Festival.

He also mentioned that a special mobile app has been created to provide necessary facilities to devotees during the Poson period.

Anuradhapura District Secretary also stated that this mobile app is expected to be introduced to reduce traffic congestion and to provide convenience for devotees visiting Anuradhapura. It will include information about parking facilities, locations where ‘dansals’ are held, first aid centers, as well as areas prone to road congestion.

Mount Lavinia Magistrate Chathurika de Silva today (5)ordered that former Minister and Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) General Secretary Duminda Dissanayake, along with three other suspects, be remanded until June 19. The order follows the discovery of a gold-colored T-56 assault rifle at the Havelock City apartment complex in Wellawatte.

The suspects were arrested in connection with the incident, which is under investigation by the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID). During today’s court proceedings, President’s Counsel Sampath Mendis, appearing for Dissanayake, drew the magistrate’s attention to an affidavit submitted by a TID sub-inspector to obtain a search warrant.

According to the affidavit, a suspect in custody claimed during interrogation that a yellow and black travel bag—previously located at No. 56, Skelton Road, Colombo 05—was later found in a room belonging to Vishaka Iraingani Kumari at the Elibank Tower in Havelock City, Colombo 06.

However, the suspect, also a cook, reportedly stated that he was unaware of the bag’s contents.

President’s Counsel Mendis pointed out inconsistencies between the affidavit and a subsequent TID report, which claimed that the bag containing the firearm was handed over by the third suspect to the first suspect. The affidavit did not mention the presence of a firearm in the bag, raising questions about the reliability of the statements.

Mendis emphasized that the statements made by the first, second, and third suspects were contradictory and questionable.

A previous court order had authorized a search of Duminda Dissanayake’s residence in Anuradhapura. TID officers reported that nothing suspicious was found, although they were unable to open a safe due to the absence of a key.

Investigators also discovered several airline tickets—purchased online by Dissanayake’s brother—inside the same bag that allegedly contained the firearm. These tickets are now part of the ongoing investigation.

Authorities have requested that the T-56 rifle and a CD containing CCTV footage from the first suspect’s residence be sent to the Government Analyst’s Department to confirm the weapon’s classification under the Firearms Ordinance and verify its presence at the location.

The magistrate granted this request and ordered the evidence to be submitted for forensic analysis.

TID officers informed the court that they intend to seek advice from the Attorney General as soon as the investigation concludes.

Due to the potential for interference with the investigation, the magistrate denied bail for all suspects and ordered that they be produced in court again on June 19.

Duminda Dissanayake was arrested on May 23.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed K.G.P. Pushpakumara as the Chief Secretary of the Western Province.

The official letter of appointment was handed over to Pushpakumara today (06) at the Presidential Secretariat by Secretary to the President, Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

MP Dayasiri Jayasekara appeared before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) this afternoon (4) to provide a statement. While his visit to the CID has been officially confirmed, the specific details of the questioning have not been disclosed.

Reports suggest that the statement may be related to the alleged release of 323 containers and the disbursement of funds from the Presidential Fund—both subjects of recent public scrutiny. However, authorities have not confirmed the exact nature of the inquiry.