News

The National People's Power (NPP) Parliamentary Group submitted a proposal to the Speaker of Parliament, calling for the removal of Deshabandu Tennakoon from his position as Inspector General of Police (IGP). The proposal, signed by 115 Members of Parliament, was handed over earlier today (25).

Deputy Minister Eranga Gunasekara said that the NPP has long voiced concerns over Tennakoon's appointment, even before the party assumed office.

Allegations of corruption, abuse of power, dereliction of duty, and bias have been at the forefront of their objections. The group has also pursued legal action against Tennakoon in the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka.

Deputy Minister Eranga Gunasekara, speaking on behalf of the NPP, emphasized the importance of accountability in public office.

"A people's government is now in power, and we are committed to using the public mandate to remove Deshabandu Tennakoon from the post of Inspector General of Police, a position to which he was unlawfully appointed," Gunasekara stated.

The proposal marks the initial step in the process, with the Speaker expected to appoint a three-member committee to investigate the matter. During discussions with the NPP, the Speaker assured that the selection process for the committee would be expedited.

Deshabandu Tennakoon has been granted permission by the Department of Prisons to consume food brought from home.

This follows a request made by him.

Meanwhile, Prisons Spokesperson Gamini B. Dissanayake said that, considering his request for enhanced security, Deshabandu Tennakoon has been placed in a suitable location within the prison.

The Matara Magistrate's Court recently ordered that he be remanded until the 3rd of April.

He is currently being held at the Dumbara Prison in Pallekele.

The Ministry of Health in Bahrain has announced that the Meningococcal vaccine is now mandatory for all foreign workers entering the country, as a preventive measure against meningococcal disease.

Accordingly, this requirement also applies to Sri Lankan migrant workers, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment stated.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Sri Lankan Embassy in Bahrain, Sri Lanka is set to implement a vaccination programme for its citizens travelling to Bahrain, based on the guidelines issued by the Bahraini government and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Meningococcal disease is an infectious illness caused by the Neisseria meningitidis bacterium, which can be fatal if left untreated. Meningitis is a contagious disease and is recognized as a leading cause of illness, death, and disability in both developed and developing countries.

Health authorities have highlighted the importance of the meningococcal vaccine as a crucial part of immunization strategies, particularly in regions with a high concentration of migrant workers, to minimize the risk of disease transmission. The Gulf Cooperation Council has also recommended its inclusion.

The mandatory vaccination aims to safeguard the health of workers and prevent potential outbreaks, aligning with broader public health goals.

Bahrain has long been a popular destination for Sri Lankan migrant workers, and that trend continues to grow. The Bureau of Foreign Employment revealed that over 4,000 Sri Lankan workers departed for employment in Bahrain in 2024 alone.

The Ministry of Education has warned the public against a fake announcement being circulated on social media regarding the 2025 G.C.E. O/L Science examination paper.

The false statement, which misuses the names of the Ministry and the Department of Examinations, claims that the Science paper was leaked and restructured, and that all candidates will be awarded 08 extra marks, with grading thresholds reduced by 10 marks.

The Ministry has confirmed that no such decision has been made and that all official announcements are only issued to registered media outlets via the Ministry’s Media Unit with proper authorization and official letterheads.

The public is urged not to be misled by such false information.

The Colombo High Court today acquitted former MP Udaya Gammanpila and another suspect from the financial fraud case filed involving an Australian national’s company.

The verdict has been issued after a 09-year trial on the case filed against Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader Udaya Gammanpila over a fraudulent share transaction.

Udaya Gammanpila has been accused of forging the signature of an Australian national to prepare a legal document to sell shares belonging to the latter’s company in 2016.

Subsequently, Gammanpila was accused of having misappropriated funds of up to Rs 21 million between September 26, 1996 and September 21, 1997. 

Printing of ballot papers for the local government elections has commenced.

The Election Commission said that by this afternoon, ballot papers for 20 local government institutions had been sent to the Department Of Government Printing.

Meanwhile, the acceptance of nominations for the Mannar, Poonakary, and Dehiattakandiya Pradeshiya Sabhas will begin tomorrow.

Nominations will be accepted until 12 noon on the 27th March, while the deadline for depositing bonds for these Pradeshiya Sabhas is 12 noon on the 26th March.

Former Minister Mervyn Silva has been remanded until April 3, following a court order issued today by Mahara Magistrate Kanchana N. Silva.

The court made this decision after rejecting Silva's bail application.

Silva, along with two others, was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department on March 6.

They are accused of violating the Public Property Act by allegedly selling a government-allocated land to a private buyer.

The case is scheduled to be heard again on April 3.

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has expressed gratitude to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Health Minister for addressing their demands through a budget amendment proposed during the third reading.

Speaking to the media, GMOA spokesman Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe stated that the solution, which aligns with the association’s initial request, does not impose any additional financial burden on the state. Instead, doctors have agreed to contribute one-third of their additional duty and holiday payments for the country’s benefit.

Initially, as part of the budget proposals, doctors’ basic salaries were increased, but the payment rates for additional duty and holiday work were reduced to 1/120 per hour and 1/30 per day. Unhappy with this revision, the GMOA held a series of discussions with the authorities to negotiate a more favorable solution.

Following these discussions, the government has agreed in principle to maintain the previous calculation—1/80 of the basic salary per hour for additional duty and 1/20 per day for holiday work—while paying only two-thirds of the amount, considering the country’s economic challenges.

The GMOA emphasized that the issue was resolved through a flexible, discussion-based approach, leading to a positive outcome for medical professionals.

Three newly appointed foreign Ambassadors to Sri Lanka presented credentials to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake today (24) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The newly appointed Ambassadors represent France, State of Palestine and Nepal.

Accordingly:

• His Excellency Remi Lambert has been appointed as the Ambassador of France
• His Excellency Ihab I.M. Khalil as the Ambassador of State of Palestine
• His Excellency Dr. Purna Bahadur Nepali as the Ambassador of Nepal.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, along with Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, were also present at the occasion.

Around 40 people have been injured in a bus accident in Halagala, Warakapola along the Colombo-Kandy road.

Police said that the accident occurred when two SLTB buses, one travelling from Colombo to Kandy and the other travelling from Kandy to Colombo collided with each other.

The injured people have been admitted to Warakapola Hospital.

A spokesperson for the Warakapola Hospital said that one of them in critical condition was transferred to the Kegalle Hospital.

Two Deputy Inspectors General of Police (DIGs) and two Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) have been transferred and given new appointments, the National Police Commission announced.

The transfers have been made with the approval of the Election Commission and are effective immediately.

The Third Reading of the 2025 Budget was passed in Parliament with amendments by a majority of 114 votes this evening (21).

A total of 159 members voted in favour while 45 parliamentarians voted against the inaugural budget of the NPP government.

The vote on the Third Reading of the budget for the financial year 2025 took place at 7.45 p.m. this evening (21) following the President’s speech.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, presented the Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill for the year 2025 (Budget Speech) to the Parliament on the February 17.

From February 18 to 25, the debate on the Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill (Budget) was held for seven days.

Accordingly, the Committee Stage debate was held for 19 days from February 27 until today (March 21).

Meanwhile, President Dissanayake arrived in Parliament this evening to participate in the final day of the Third Reading debate on the 2025 Budget and delivered a special statement before the vote on the budget.