A low-pressure area over the Andaman Sea region of the Bay of Bengal, northeast of Sri Lanka, is expected to intensify into a depression, within the next 24 hours, the Department of Meteorology said yesterday.

Although the system is not expected to have a direct impact on Sri Lanka, its associated wind flow is expected to maintain rainy conditions, particularly across the southwestern parts of the island, the Department said.

It forecasts showers, or thundershowers, at times today (22), in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-Western provinces, and in the Galle and Matara districts. Heavy rainfall, of around 100mm, is possible in some areas.

Several spells of showers are also expected in the North-Central Province and the Mannar District. Showers or thundershowers are likely at several places in the Uva Province and in the Batticaloa and Ampara districts, after 2:00 p.m., the Met. Department noted.

The Supreme Court’s confidential determination on the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution had been received by the Speaker, the Speaker’s Office said.

Accordingly, the confidential determination, containing the Supreme Court’s decision on the petitions filed challenging the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, is expected to be communicated to Parliament by the Speaker today (22).

The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution Bill and the Judicial Amendment Bill were presented to Parliament on August 18 by Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara.

C’mbo Port ‘Ice’ detection:

By Shamindra Ferdinando

A senior police official said that the Special Investigation Unit (SIU), inquiring into alleged loopholes and irregularities in the August 31 raid carried out at the Colombo Port, might seek clarification from the US Embassy here.

The official said so responding to The Island query regarding the need for the SIU to get in touch with the US against the backdrop of its own admission that Senior DIG Ranmal Kodituwakku had been informed by the US Drug Enforcement Administration regarding the drug stash on 31 August.

The official said that the SIU already recorded SDIG Kodituwakku’s statement in connection with the investigation.

Earlier, the US Embassy in Colombo declined to comment on the SIU probe into the recent narcotics detection jointly made at the China-managed Colombo International Container Terminal (CICT) by the US Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Delhi Country Office and the Sri Lanka Police.

US Embassy spokesperson said that the mission wouldn’t add to their press release, issued on 02 September, in the immediate aftermath of the raid.

Police Headquarters, on 11 September, declared that the Central Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) was conducting investigations into the recovery of 463 kg of Crystal Methamphetamine (‘Ice’). Police never acknowledged the role played by the US in the operation.

Among those arrested in connection with the Colombo Port narcotics detection were three Pakistani passport holders. In our previous report, regarding the Colombo Port detection, we inadvertently stated that the police didn’t acknowledge the role played by the US.

The police official said that once the IGP received the SIU report, he would take necessary action, depending on the findings.