News

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has called for long-term constitutional reforms anchored in judicial independence and the rule of law to ensure democratic stability across changes in government.

Following discussions with Commonwealth Lawyers Association President Steven Thiru at the Opposition Leader's Office in Colombo yesterday (03), Premadasa said that state structures must remain credible regardless of which political party holds power.

He stressed that institutional design should prioritize citizen security rather than serve the short-term interests of sitting governments or opposition parties.

The Opposition Leader said that Sri Lanka could evaluate the long-term necessity of a dedicated Constitutional Court or a specialized constitutional review mechanism without interfering in active judicial proceedings.

The composition, appointment process, and authority of any new judicial entity would require careful planning alongside its relationship with the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, he noted.

During the discussion, the Commonwealth Latimer House Principles were highlighted as a vital international benchmark when evaluating the separation of powers among Parliament, the Executive, and the Judiciary.

The meeting also addressed the environmental rule of law, with Premadasa referencing policy commitments under Section 14 of the Environmental Charter 2.0 presented during the 2024 presidential election to set up a specialised environmental court or tribunal, expressing interest in studying Commonwealth models to strengthen environmental justice and dispute resolution.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has alleged widespread financial and operational malpractices in the execution of the second phase of the Eastern Container Terminal (ECT) development at the Port of Colombo.

Addressing a group of engineers at his office in Colombo, Premadasa stated that technical officers had raised severe red flags regarding the state-backed infrastructure initiative.

Originally launched in January 2023, the project was scheduled for completion by 3 January 2025, but key operations remain unfinished well past the initial timeframe.

Significant structural conflicts of interest have compromised the integrity of the development, according to the Opposition Leader.

He highlighted that engineers are concurrently serving in both the Project Management Unit and the independent advisory team, essentially forcing personnel to evaluate their own decisions instead of maintaining distinct oversight bodies.

Furthermore, he noted that the project is operating without a permanent project director, whilst project deadlines have been extended three times without requisite Cabinet approval.

With the third extension set to lapse on 7 July 2026, he asserted that a fourth unauthorized extension is currently being processed by officials without approval from the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.

The administrative oversights are accompanied by serious fiscal irregularities that threaten public funds.

Premadasa claimed that unauthorized advance payments are being continuously disbursed, with certain financial entries made secretly and others removed from official logs, resulting in severe losses for both the port authority and the national treasury.

In addition, staff recruited through a competitive process under the 2019 Management Services Circular have not received updated salary scales.

The Opposition Leader pointed out that these systemic failures and alleged unlawful transactions threaten to undermine investor confidence and delay critical maritime infrastructure.

The Colombo High Court has fixed September 22, 2026, for the next hearing of the case against former Minister Wimal Weerawansa over alleged unlawful acquisition of assets valued at more than Rs. 75 million.

The case was heard today (3) before Colombo High Court Judge Mohamed Mihail.

Following submissions made before the court, the judge directed that the matter be taken up again on September 22. The court also ordered that summons be issued to witnesses, requiring them to appear on the next hearing date.

The case was instituted by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) during the previous Good Governance Government.

According to the allegations, Weerawansa acquired assets exceeding Rs. 75 million beyond what could be justified by his legitimate income between 2010 and 2014, when he was serving as a Cabinet Minister.

CIABOC has alleged that the acquisition amounted to an offence under the Bribery Act.

The results of the 2026 Grade 5 Scholarship Examination have been released online, according to the Commissioner General of Examinations.

Students and parents can access the results through the official website of the Department of Examinations at www.doenets.lk.

The examination was conducted on August 9 across 2,723 examination centres throughout the country.

A total of 294,089 students sat for this year’s examination.

Of the candidates, 220,366 were Sinhala-medium students, while 73,723 candidates sat for the examination in the Tamil medium.

Veteran animator and filmmaker Givantha Arthasad, a pioneering figure in Sri Lanka’s animation industry, has died at the age of 73.

Arthasad passed away at the Panadura Base Hospital, according to reports.

He was widely recognised for creating Sri Lanka’s first animated film, a landmark achievement that contributed to the early development of animation within the country’s cinema industry.

Arthasad was also the brother of veteran film director Dinesh Priyasad.

His pioneering contribution to animation and filmmaking is regarded as an important milestone in the evolution of Sri Lankan cinema.

Sri Lanka has been urged to urgently develop a comprehensive national policy to address the growing human-elephant conflict, with greater involvement from relevant government institutions and other stakeholders.

The issue was discussed at a recent meeting of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Agriculture and Resource Sustainability, held at Parliament under the chairmanship of MP Hector Appuhamy.

The committee considered research findings and policy recommendations from a joint project conducted by the Coalition for Inclusive Impact (CII), UNESCO and the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA).

A key focus of the discussion was reducing encounters between people and wild elephants by addressing shortages of food and water within wildlife habitats. The committee also examined ways to improve elephant habitats and encourage greater participation by communities in environmental conservation.

Members stressed the importance of introducing a suitable management programme to reduce the likelihood of elephants entering populated areas in search of food and water.

The committee also called for six identified elephant corridors to be gazetted without further delay. Improving habitats within wildlife reserves and expanding awareness programmes among communities living in affected areas were also identified as priorities.

The meeting further addressed environmental concerns surrounding the Muthurajawela wetland system. The committee highlighted the need to properly survey and demarcate State-owned lands in order to protect the wetland, while improving coordination between government agencies to prevent unauthorised activities.

Issues affecting small-scale fishing communities were also discussed, with attention given to possible measures to strengthen their livelihoods.

The committee stressed that solutions to environmental challenges must be based on scientific research, reliable data and evidence. It also emphasised stronger cooperation between relevant State institutions and the adaptation of successful approaches from elsewhere to suit Sri Lanka’s own circumstances.

The discussions underscored the need for coordinated and evidence-based action to address the human-elephant conflict while protecting both communities and wildlife.

Kiribathgoda Police have arrested a 54-year-old woman, known by the aliases “Kompannavidiya Kudu Nona” and “Nona Amma,” over alleged involvement in drug trafficking.

Police said the suspect was taken into custody while allegedly transporting drugs for delivery to a suspected drug trafficker in Chettikulam.

At the time of the arrest, officers recovered 50 grams of heroin believed to have been prepared for sale, along with Rs. 48,000 in cash suspected to be proceeds from drug-related activities.

The woman, who has previously lived in Kompannavidiya and Kiribathgoda, is known to police in connection with earlier drug-related allegations. She had previously been remanded and later released on bail over a case involving the possession of 34 grams of crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as “Ice.”

Police have launched a broader investigation into the suspect’s alleged activities, including assets and properties she may have acquired through drug trafficking. Information concerning the suspected assets is expected to be presented before court.

Investigators have also established that the suspect is reportedly the aunt of “Chuti Ukkung,” a known drug trafficker who was recently killed during a clash between two underworld groups.

Her husband, who goes by the name “Koombikele Chuti,” is currently in remand custody after being convicted in a drug-related case.

The suspect remains in custody and is being questioned under the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance as investigations continue.

The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court has directed the Director of the Colombo National Hospital to submit a report on the current health condition of retired Major General Suresh Sallay.

The court has requested details on his present medical condition and whether he requires any further medical treatment.

The hospital director has been instructed to provide the relevant medical information to the court.

The August 2026 elderly allowance is scheduled to be credited to the bank accounts of eligible senior citizens today (3) under the Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme.

According to the Welfare Benefits Board, Rs. 3.091 billion has been allocated for 618,352 senior citizens aged over 70 who are registered under the first phase of the Aswesuma programme.

A further Rs. 391.3 million is set to be deposited today into the Aswesuma accounts of 78,260 senior citizens aged over 70 covered by the programme’s second phase.

Beneficiaries who are eligible for the August payment will be able to access and withdraw the funds from their Aswesuma bank accounts from today.

Police investigations are continuing into the sudden death of renowned Sri Lankan model Chulpadmendra Kumarapathirana, whose remains have been taken to a private funeral parlour in Borella.

Kumarapathirana, 45, was found unresponsive on a bed at the residence of a businessman in Thumbowila, Piliyandala, on August 31.

According to police, she had been in a romantic relationship with the businessman and had travelled to his residence in the early hours of August 31. She had reportedly attended an event she organised in Battaramulla the previous day.

Police said Kumarapathirana later went to sleep in a room at the residence. At approximately 12.45 p.m., attempts were made to wake her, but she failed to respond.

The 1990 Suwa Seriya ambulance service was subsequently summoned, and medical personnel confirmed her death.

A bloodstain was reportedly discovered on the bedsheet where she had been sleeping. Following the incident, the businessman lodged a complaint with the Piliyandala Police, while Kumarapathirana’s mother also filed a separate complaint.

The matter was taken before the Kesbewa Magistrate's Court, after which the Acting Magistrate inspected both the scene and the deceased.

A post-mortem examination was later carried out at the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital by a Judicial Medical Officer following a court order.

However, the examination returned an open verdict. Police said no external or internal injuries had been identified on Kumarapathirana’s body.

As investigations continue, samples and portions of the remains have been forwarded to the Government Analyst for further forensic examination.

The exact cause and circumstances of her death have not yet been established, and police are awaiting the results of the forensic analysis to assist in determining what occurred.

Kumarapathirana was a recognised figure in Sri Lanka’s modelling and pageant circles. She also became known to the wider public through her association with the controversy surrounding the 2021 Mrs. World incident involving former Mrs. World Caroline Jurie and Mrs. Sri Lanka Pushpika de Silva.

Investigations are being conducted by the Piliyandala Police under the direction of the relevant authorities.

A 26-year-old man has been taken into custody in Wellampitiya after authorities found him carrying 130 foreign-made electronic cigarettes suspected to have been intended for illegal sale.

The arrest followed a joint operation involving naval personnel attached to SLNS Rangala under the Western Naval Command and officers from the Divisional Criminal Investigation Unit in Mirihana.

The suspect, who is a resident of Wellampitiya, was reportedly found in possession of the electronic cigarettes during the search. A car was also seized as part of the operation.

Following the arrest, the suspect, the electronic cigarettes and the vehicle were handed over to Wellampitiya Police for further investigations and legal proceedings.

The Sri Lanka Navy confirmed the operation and subsequent handover.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has called for greater transparency and coordination among state institutions to resolve long-standing licensing barriers that have hindered investment in Sri Lanka's mineral sector.

The President made these remarks during a discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat on 31 August, which brought together officials from the Sri Lanka Mineral Sands Association and the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau to examine ways of developing the sector under the export-oriented National Mineral Policy 2026.

The discussion focused on the full value chain of the mineral industry, covering exploration, extraction, processing and value addition, while also addressing the need for stronger infrastructure, improved investor incentives and expanded research and development.

Officials at the meeting acknowledged that investors continue to face significant difficulty in securing mining licences, a process complicated by the involvement of multiple state institutions with overlapping responsibilities.

This licensing bottleneck is widely regarded as one of the most serious obstacles facing the implementation of the National Mineral Policy 2026.

Mineral exploration is a high-risk and capital-intensive undertaking, often requiring investors to commit millions of dollars before establishing whether a commercially viable deposit exists.

Where licensing procedures remain slow, unpredictable or subject to numerous institutional approvals, Sri Lanka risks losing ground to competing mineral jurisdictions that offer greater regulatory certainty.

Analysts note that the core issue is not the availability of licences but whether investors can obtain them through a system that is predictable, transparent and bound by clear timelines.

Without such certainty, the policy's export ambitions are likely to remain largely theoretical. Investors require clarity on where exploration is permitted, the environmental and social obligations attached to it, the length of the approval process, the royalties and taxes involved, and the conditions under which exploration rights can be converted into extraction rights once viable deposits are found.

There are also concerns that the current lack of clarity around licensing, institutional responsibility and approval procedures could expose investment decisions to delays, inconsistent interpretation and perceptions of preferential treatment.

This is understood to be a key reason behind the President's emphasis on transparency and stronger coordination between government institutions.

Beyond licensing, there is growing recognition that Sri Lanka must move away from exporting minerals in raw or minimally processed form and instead focus on value addition, including the processing of mineral sands and the development of downstream manufacturing and technology-intensive industries built around domestic resources.

However, such investment is unlikely to materialise unless investors are confident that the mineral supply, licensing framework, infrastructure and regulatory environment are stable and secure.

The Government now faces the task of converting the National Mineral Policy 2026 from a policy document into a functioning investment framework.

Measures such as a centralised licensing mechanism, clearly defined approval timelines, transparent concession procedures, publicly accessible geological data and coordinated environmental approvals are seen as critical to improving investor confidence in the sector.