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Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Namal Rajapaksa says his party is open to alliances based on national interests but will not engage in secret political negotiations.

Speaking to the media, Rajapaksa said the SLPP believed in discussing political matters openly and transparently.

"We do not hide and engage in politics. If we hold discussions, we will do so openly because, in the end, we have to move forward with the people," he said.

He said that any alliance would be formed based on the needs of the country and its people rather than the interests of individuals.

Rajapaksa also said anyone who agreed with the SLPP's political ideology and programme was welcome to join the party.

He added that while some members had left the party in the past, others had joined, and it was his responsibility to unite all those who believed in the party and build a stronger political force.

The Lawyers for Public Mandate organisation has accused politicians facing pending corruption charges of fabricating claims that the government's proposed judicial reform Bill threatens court independence, following Cabinet approval to raise the retirement age of judges.

Speaking at a media conference in Colombo, representatives from the legal group asserted that the legislative changes form an essential component of the administration's anti-corruption mandate and broader court reforms.

Under the approved proposals, the retirement age for Supreme Court judges will increase from 65 to 67 years, while Court of Appeal judges will retire at 65 rather than 63.

The tenure of the Chief Justice will be capped at 67 years or six years from appointment, whichever occurs first. At the lower court level, High Court judges will see their mandatory retirement age rise from 61 to 63 years, with Magistrates and District Judges moving from 60 to 62 years.

Attorney Akalanka Ukwatta supported the framework by pointing to international precedents, noting that retirement ages stand at 70 in Australia and Denmark, 75 in Canada and Brazil, and remain lifetime appointments in the United States.

Citing the classic work of American jurist Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr, Ukwatta noted that legal practice relies on experience as much as logic, arguing that retaining seasoned judges will bolster rather than weaken the administration of justice.

The organisation emphasised that addressing acute institutional shortages is vital to clearing chronic backlogs across the legal system.

Attorney Anuradha Kiralawella highlighted that out of 110 approved judicial posts in the High Court, only 93 serving judges are currently in office, alongside significant deficits in physical courtrooms and staff.

Kiralawella firmly rejected allegations that the amendment seeks to favour specific sitting judges, maintaining instead that politicians implicated in past public thefts are raising alarms about judicial independence purely to protect themselves from impending prosecution.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has accused the government of attempting to erode judicial independence by proposing a constitutional amendment that seeks to alter the retirement age of judges.

Addressing the media, the Opposition Leader said that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake holds a public mandate exclusively to reform the Executive Presidency through constitutional changes, rather than interfering with the judicial branch or subordinating the courts to executive authority.

He claimed that the administration, which assumed power on the promise of systemic reform and democratic strengthening, is instead adopting measures that threaten to pave the way for authoritarian rule.

Emphasising the constitutional separation of powers among the legislature, executive, and judiciary, Premadasa warned that executive interference in judicial matters poses a severe threat to democratic checks and balances.

He remarked that if the President or the Minister of Justice failed to comprehend these foundational principles, they should consult the works of French political philosopher Montesquieu, specifically 'The Spirit of the Laws'.

He also said that pushing forward with the proposed constitutional amendment despite widespread concern risks undermining public trust in the credibility, integrity, and impartiality of the legal system.

The controversy surrounding the proposed amendment underscores growing national concerns over the preservation of democratic governance and the rule of law in Sri Lanka, as political opposition mounts ahead of upcoming parliamentary discussions on the matter.

Sri Lanka will regulate cryptocurrency and virtual asset trading for the first time following Cabinet approval of a proposal to establish a comprehensive legal framework for digital assets and service providers.

The regulatory initiative, presented by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in his capacity as Minister of Digital Economy, was sanctioned on Tuesday to bring informal online trading under direct state oversight.

The government move aims to eliminate a critical supervisory gap created by local investors accessing digital assets through unregulated offshore exchanges and peer-to-peer platforms.

Under the recommendations of a special sub-committee chaired by the Deputy Minister of Digital Economy, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka will be appointed as the primary regulatory authority for virtual asset service providers.

To mitigate risks associated with money laundering and terrorism financing, the regulatory body will operate within a joint supervisory network alongside the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the Financial Intelligence Unit, and the Department of Inland Revenue.

The introduction of mandatory registration, reporting standards, and compliance obligations will formally integrate virtual assets into the national financial architecture while establishing tax monitoring mechanisms.

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved an additional foreign exchange adjustment allowance of up to Rs. 2.5 million annually for students selected under the government’s overseas scholarship programme.

The decision was taken following the depreciation of the Sri Lankan Rupee against major global currencies, which has increased the cost of overseas education-related expenses for scholarship recipients.

The additional allowance is intended to help students pursuing undergraduate programmes at internationally ranked foreign universities manage higher costs caused by exchange rate fluctuations.

The overseas scholarship programme was introduced under the 2025 Budget to support Sri Lanka’s highest-performing students from the 2024 GCE Advanced Level Examination by providing opportunities to pursue first degree programmes at foreign universities.

Under the scheme, each student is eligible to receive financial assistance of up to Rs. 20 million per year, with total support limited to Rs. 80 million over the four-year duration of the degree programme.

A total of 32 students were selected based on their Advanced Level examination results. Of them, nine students have already departed Sri Lanka to commence their studies, while arrangements are being made for the remaining scholarship recipients to travel overseas.

Officials said the depreciation of the Rupee had increased foreign currency payment requirements, resulting in the originally allocated funds becoming insufficient to cover certain expenses faced by students.

The proposal to introduce the foreign exchange adjustment allowance was submitted by Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya in her capacity as Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, and was subsequently approved by the Cabinet.

Cabinet Spokesperson and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said that the government will not hold a referendum to implement its decision to extend the retirement age of judges, rejecting opposition claims that a public vote is constitutionally mandated.

Speaking at the weekly Cabinet media briefing at the Department of Government Information in Colombo on Tuesday (28), the Minister clarified that the Constitution contains no provisions requiring a referendum for the proposed statutory changes.

The announcement follows Cabinet approval for a legislative package submitted by the Minister of Justice and National Integration, which instructs the Legal Draftsman to prepare amendments to both the Constitution and the Judicature Act No. 2 of 1978.

Government officials explained that increasing the retirement age is necessary to retain experienced judicial officers as the state expands court infrastructure and establishes regional sittings for the Court of Appeal under Article 146 of the Constitution.

The reform plan also includes increasing the total bench count for both the Court of Appeal and provincial High Courts to tackle rising caseloads and eliminate systemic delays in criminal and civil appellate matters.

However, the decision directly clashes with the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), whose President Rajeev Amarasuriya recently asserted in a television interview that any constitutional modification to judicial tenures across all court levels must be submitted to a referendum.

Police arrested several members of Kavadi dance groups participating in the annual Devinuwara Uthpalawanna Sri Vishnu Maha Devalaya procession for alleged possession of narcotics during a special security operation in Matara on Tuesday (28) morning.

The crackdown occurred just hours ahead of the traditional parade, which is scheduled to commence at 2.00 p.m. today under heavy law enforcement surveillance.

The targeted inspections follow escalating safety concerns triggered by a rivalry between two underworld criminal syndicates over the control and participation of local performance troupes.

Tensions culminated in a recent shooting incident targeting a residence located near the Devalaya premises, forcing law enforcement authorities to re-evaluate safety measures.

The Acting Inspector General of Police initially advised the Matara District Secretary on 26 July to temporarily ban all Kavadi dance groups from this year's cultural event.

However, state officials overturned the recommended suspension during a high-level summit held on Monday at the Matara District Secretariat.

Following deliberations involving the Minister of Public Security, the Ministry Secretary, and senior police officers, authorities granted approval for traditional troupes with a history of participation to take part.

To mitigate security risks, police deployed approximately 1,500 security personnel to safeguard the procession route while subjecting all participating performers and supporting crews to mandatory physical searches.

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) says that a referendum is needed if the government moves ahead with a constitutional amendment to extend the retirement age of judges across all courts, including the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal.

BASL President Attorney-at-Law Rajeev Amarasuriya made these remarks during an interview on a private media channel following Cabinet approval of the controversial proposal.

He raised concerns over existing administrative delays within the judicial sector, pointing out that eight vacancies currently remain unfilled across the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal.

Amarasuriya urged the President to address these critical appointments without further delay rather than pushing through structural changes to judicial tenures.

The opposition from the BASL adds to growing resistance across the legal sector, where judicial unions and regional lawyer groups have already warned that altering retirement ages risks eroding public trust and stalling career progression for junior judicial officers.

Altering the constitutional framework governing judicial tenure carries profound implications for the rule of law and the independence of Sri Lanka's judiciary.

With Cabinet approval secured, the draft amendment is expected to head to parliament for debate, setting up a major legislative and legal showdown over the necessity of a public referendum.