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A new Animal Welfare Bill has been introduced with proposals to strengthen the laws protecting animals and prevent acts of cruelty in Sri Lanka. The draft legislation, published in the Government Gazette dated 17 July 2026, sets out provisions aimed at ensuring proper care, protection and welfare of animals, while introducing stricter penalties for violations.

Under the proposed bill, denying animals essential needs such as food, clean water and suitable shelter would be considered an offence. The legislation also seeks to hold individuals accountable for causing unnecessary suffering through neglect, overworking animals, or keeping them in unsuitable conditions.

Those found guilty of animal cruelty could face a fine of up to Rs. 250,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both. A person convicted of cruelly killing an animal could face a fine of up to Rs. 500,000, imprisonment of up to three years, or both.

The proposed law also includes provisions to take action against the abandonment of pets, the neglect of sick or injured animals, and allowing animals to suffer without necessary treatment. Animal fights and other activities involving animals that result in injury or death are proposed to be prohibited, along with the organising, promoting or facilitating of such events.

The bill further introduces regulations governing the transportation of animals, requiring measures to prevent unnecessary pain, injury or distress. Violators of these provisions could face a fine of up to Rs. 300,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both.

A licensing system for pet shops and animal breeding centres has also been proposed, aimed at regulating the trade and breeding of animals across the country.

The draft legislation was prepared following recommendations made by a special expert committee appointed under a Cabinet decision. It was subsequently approved by the Attorney General and published in the Government Gazette ahead of being submitted for parliamentary approval.

Authorities said the proposed law was intended not only to punish cruelty against animals but also to promote a more responsible and humane approach to animal welfare within society.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has warned that the country's farmers will ultimately decide the fate of the government, accusing the NPP administration of neglecting the agricultural sector despite promises made at the last election.

Premadasa made the remarks while addressing a public rally in Anuradhapura.

He said the Agriculture Minister had himself acknowledged that the cost of producing one kilogram of paddy stood at around Rs. 137, even as the guaranteed price paid to farmers remained fixed at only Rs. 120.

He said farmers had continued to cultivate their lands despite this shortfall, and despite ongoing challenges such as the human elephant conflict, yet were still unable to secure a fair and stable price for their harvests.

The Opposition Leader alleged that many farmers had been forced to mortgage their property and borrow money at high interest rates simply to fund cultivation, only to then face shortages of quality seed paddy, delays in fertiliser subsidies, poor quality fertiliser, and rising costs for agrochemicals, fuel and farming equipment.

He noted that loan schemes previously available to farmers in past decades no longer existed, leaving cultivators dependent on informal lenders who charged excessive rates of interest.

Premadasa further alleged that the government had abandoned the farming community after coming into office, despite having promised relief, and claimed that farmers were seeing no meaningful benefit even as the Treasury's financial position had strengthened.

He said warehouses were being filled with imported rice while small and medium scale rice mill owners were being sidelined, and accused the government of insulting the farming community rather than supporting it.

They were just six words posted on X in a moment of frustration:

"What if all cockroaches come together?"

Now, its 30-year-old author, Abhijeet Dipke, is the face of ​what is arguably India's biggest street protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government since he took office in 2014.

The political communications strategist's post, sent on May 16, ‌was initially a witty response to comments by Supreme Court judge Surya Kant, likening India's unemployed youth in a speech to "cockroaches".

Kant later said his comments were misconstrued.

By then Dipke's post had gone viral.

A satirical platform called the "Cockroach Janta Party" (CJP) had sprung up, providing a rallying point for millions of young Indians frustrated over high unemployment and exam paper leaks and seeking greater government accountability.

Over the past three days, tens of thousands have gathered ​in New Delhi demanding the resignation of India's Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over leaks of the medical entrance test paper that affected some 2 million students in May and ​have been linked to several student suicides.

Sporadic protests were reported in other parts of the country, including the financial hub of Mumbai.

At the centre ⁠of it all is Dipke.

Based in the U.S. city of Boston until early June, he flew back to India to launch a protest near the Jantar Mantar observatory ​in the heart of Delhi.

Since then — and particularly after a police crackdown on demonstrators on Monday sparked public outrage — he has become a constant presence on a raised platform at the protest site.

Bearded ​and dressed in a T-shirt and jeans, Dipke addresses crowds of hundreds, urging them to remain peaceful while maintaining pressure on the government.

Even if the CJP has several organisers, Dipke has become its most recognisable face, drawing both admiration and criticism.

Last week a woman threw blue ink at him while he was addressing supporters, smearing his face. She later accused the CJP of insulting Lord Ram, a major Hindu deity.

Dipke was born ​in Aurangabad in the western Indian state of Maharashtra into a Dalit family, one of India's most historically disadvantaged communities.

"My father comes from a very humble background. He grew up in ​extreme poverty. My grandfather was just a farmer," Dipke told Reuters in a phone interview from Chicago in May.

His Dalit identity has long shaped his politics.

When he arrived in Delhi on June 6, Dipke held ‌aloft a ⁠copy of "My Autobiography" by B.R. Ambedkar, a champion of Dalit rights and key architect of India's democratic constitution, as supporters and security personnel swarmed around him.

After the ink attack, Dipke posted a video of the incident with the caption: "Blue is my colour", an apparent reference to the colour closely associated with the Ambedkarite movement.

In 2020, Dipke joined the social media team of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), where he said he developed a style of political messaging built around memes, humour and satire.

He is no longer associated with the party, though AAP and several other Indian opposition parties ​have backed the movement.

In 2023, Dipke moved to ​the United States to pursue a master's ⁠degree in public relations in Boston, but continued to follow Indian politics closely.

Dipke says he is still trying to process his prominence.

One of the first people to amplify the movement was Delhi-based YouTuber Meghnad S. Soon after Dipke's post, he ​and a friend used AI tools to build a satirical website announcing the formation of the Cockroach Janta Party.

"I saw the page ​and thought it was damn ⁠hilarious," Meghnad said.

The Instagram account amassed 22 million followers in a matter of days before swelling further to 25 million recently.

"That's how organic it was," Meghnad said.

But as the online movement grew, so did the stakes.

Speaking to Reuters from Boston in May, Dipke said:

"This is a movement to change the political discourse of India. The youth of India has largely vanished from the mainstream political discourse."

Despite threats ⁠to himself ​and his family, Dipke decided to return to India. He has said he will stay at least until the ​students get justice.

Since June 6, Dipke has remained at the protest site as the demonstrations have swelled and can frequently be seen appealing to protesters to keep the movement peaceful, speaking to the media or grabbing brief naps.

Addressing supporters ​from the stage on Wednesday, he said, "Let me make it clear — we will also not stop until we win."

(Reuters)

The Department of Examinations has announced that the 2026 Grade 5 Scholarship Examination will be conducted on August 9, 2026, at 2,723 examination centres across the island.

According to the Department, the examination will be held from 9.30 a.m. to 12.15 p.m.

The attendance records of candidates who applied for the examination have already been sent to the relevant Zonal Education Offices through their respective schools, the Department said.

The Department further announced that candidates will be given an opportunity to make corrections to their personal information, if required.

The online facility for amending candidate details will be available from today (23) until August 3.

Candidates can make the necessary changes by accessing the “Exam Information Centre” under the “Our Services” section on the Department of Examinations website, or through the online examination service system.

The Colombo High Court today (24) ordered that the money laundering case filed against Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, be taken up for further hearing on August 20.

The case was called before Colombo High Court Judge Udesh Ranatunga.

Yoshitha Rajapaksa did not appear before the court for the hearing. Appearing on his behalf, President's Counsel Sampath Mendis informed the court that his client was unwell and requested a new hearing date.

After considering the request, the High Court judge fixed August 20 for the next hearing.

The court also instructed the witnesses, including several navy personnel who were present to give evidence, to appear on the next hearing date.

The Attorney General has filed the case against Yoshitha Rajapaksa under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, alleging that he committed an offence through the purchase of five plots of land in the Dehiwala and Ratmalana areas valued at more than Rs. 73 million.

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Jaffna District MP Ramanathan Archchuna after he failed to appear before the Fort Magistrate's Court today (24) in connection with an ongoing court case.

According to court proceedings, the warrant was issued when the MP did not appear before the court as required. His sureties were also absent when the case was taken up.

The case relates to an alleged incident involving the obstruction of Fort Police officers while they were carrying out their official duties.

No further details regarding the case were disclosed during the court proceedings.

Opposition party leaders convened in Colombo yesterday (23) to coordinate a joint response to the Government's decision to extend the retirement age of superior court judges.

The meeting was held at the office of the Leader of the Opposition and was chaired by Sajith Premadasa, bringing together senior figures from across the political spectrum to discuss what several attendees described as an attempt to interfere with the independence of the judiciary.

Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, former Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, MPs Namal Rajapaksa, Dilith Jayaweera, Rauff Hakeem, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, Mano Ganeshan, Jeevan Thondaman, P. Digambaram, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Kabir Hashim, Ranjith Madduma Bandara and former MPs Wimal Weerawansa, Patali Champika Ranawaka, Prof G.L. Peiris, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Tiran Alles, Mahinda Amaraweera, among others, participated at the meeting.

Former President Wickremesinghe pointed out that opposition parties had come together around a shared cause in response to what he described as objectionable conduct on the part of the Government.

He proposed that the Opposition Leader put forward a recommendation for the appointment of a select committee tasked with examining delays within the judicial system, including measures to expedite the hearing of an estimated 1.1 million pending court cases along with other outstanding issues in the sector.

He also indicated that further engagement was planned in the days ahead, with meetings to be arranged with members of the Buddhist clergy and representatives of the legal profession as part of a wider campaign to build support around the issue.

The gathering signals a rare instance of unified opposition action on an issue of judicial independence, one that could shape the national conversation around governance and the rule of law in the weeks to come. Further consultations with religious and legal figures are expected shortly, as opposition leaders look to sustain pressure on the Government over its handling of the judiciary.

Opposition leaders from across the political spectrum are set to convene this afternoon at the Office of the Opposition Leader to discuss the independence of the judiciary.

The meeting, called by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, brings together senior figures from rival parties amid growing concern over a government proposal to extend the retirement age of judges.

Political sources say the gathering is expected to draw a range of opposition figures, including former Presidents Ranil Wickremesinghe and Maithripala Sirisena.

Also expected to attend are Sarvajana Balaya leader and Parliamentarian Dilith Jayaweera, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna national organiser and Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa, and United Republic Front leader Patali Champika Ranawaka.

The government's proposal to extend the retirement age of judges, along with concerns over judicial independence, is expected to dominate the discussion, according to political sources.

Several other current political matters are also likely to be raised during the meeting, though the judiciary issue is understood to be the primary focus.

Meeting seen as push for greater Opposition unity

The discussion is taking place as opposition parties work to strengthen cooperation on issues of national importance, and it is expected to give leaders from different political groups an opportunity to exchange views on matters affecting the country.

Observers note that such cross party engagement has become increasingly significant given the range of political and institutional concerns currently facing the country.

The outcome of the meeting and any decisions reached are expected to be made public once discussions conclude, and the extent to which opposition parties can present a united position on judicial independence is likely to shape political developments in the days ahead.