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Court to be moved against Ranil over loss of state funds

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Dallas

LG polls postponement:

Dallas alleges about 10% of estimated expenditure of Rs 8 bn wasted  

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Leader of Nidahas Janatha Sabhawa and executive committee member of Samagi Jana Sandhanaya, ex-parliamentarian Dallas Alahapperuma, yesterday (09) said that legal action would be instituted against former President Ranil Wickremesinghe for having a caused a loss of over Rs. 720,000,000 by postponing the local government (LG) polls.

The former Minister said so in the wake of the NPP government’s decision to call for fresh nominations for the LG polls to be held early next year.

Alahapperuma recently urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to cancel the original LG nominations as quite a number of LG polls candidates had successfully contested the recently concluded general election.

The ex-Matara District MP has, in a letter dated Nov. 25, addressed to President Dissanayake, pointed out that out of the 141 NPPers elected to the Parliament 41 are LG polls candidates.

In addition to the elected, the NPP secured 18 National List slots. Alahapperuma has also pointed out that a large number of people will not be able to vote if the LG election is held according to the voters register applicable at that time.

Alahapperuma told The Island that the Wickremesinghe-led government had indefinitely put off LG polls scheduled for March 09, 2023, despite a Supreme Court directive in early March 2023 that elections be conducted.

In late August, the SC ruled that fundamental rights of the people had been violated by President Wickremesinghe, as the Minister of Finance, and members of the Election Commission, by postponing the LG polls. Wickremesinghe remains the leader of the UNP.

Alahapperuma said that they would seek a court directive to the former President to compensate the Treasury. Wickremesinghe having wasted funds amounting to over Rs. 720,000,000 on LG polls, later claimed his administration lacked the wherewithal to conduct the election.

The SLPP won the last LG polls conducted in early February 2018.

According to Alahapperuma, President Wickremesinghe in the last week of January 2023 decided to do away with the scheduled LG polls. That unilateral decision had caused a colossal waste of state funds, the SJB National List aspirant said.

Alleging that Wickremesinghe had sought to justify the LG polls postponement in and outside Parliament, the former Minister pointed out that over 8,000 candidates had deposited about Rs 180 mn with the EC and the political parties had also incurred considerable expenditure.

Alahapperuma bracketed the waste of state funds at a time the national economy had been in a precarious state, along with the Treasury bond scams perpetrated during the UNP-led Yahapalana administration (2015-2019), the sugar tax scam at the onset of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s government, and the online visa fraud committed by the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government.

Wickremesinghe and all others who threw their weight behind the LG polls postponement should be held accountable for waste of public funds at a time the country declared bankruptcy, Alahapperuma said.

The country was aware of despicable efforts made by the same lot to put off the presidential polls, Alahapperuma said, referring to court action initiated by various interested parties.

Alahapperuma said that they were eagerly waiting to see how the NPP addressed this issue. “Our actions are strengthened by two SC directives issued in March and August 2023. Wickremesinghe couldn’t have had the political strength to go ahead with the polls postponement without the ruling party’s backing, Alahapperuma said.

UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena repeatedly called for the cancellation of all elections to enable Wickremesinghe to hold the presidency and manage the economy.

The SLPP MPs elected Wickremesinghe as the President in July 2022 to complete the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s five-year term won at the 2019 Nov, presidential election.



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Landslide Early Warnings issued to the districts of Kalutara, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura

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The National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued landslide early warnings to the districts of Kalutara, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura effective from 0400hrs on 12th June 2026 to 0400hrs on 13th June 2026

Accordingly,
LEVEL I [YELLOW] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Palindanuwara in the Kalutara district, Doluwa in the Kandy district, Ambagamuwa in the Nuwara Eliya district and Pelmadulla, Ayagama, Ratnapura, Godakawela, Kalawana and Nivitigala in the Ratnapura district

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Wife, counsel seek regular access to ex-Spy Chief Sallay held under President’s detention order

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Suresh Sallay

Wife of former State Intelligence Chief Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Suresh Sallay has asked CID Director retired SSP Shani Abeysekera to allow her, her family members and lawyers to visit her husband in the National Hospital, Colombo. Sallay’s counsel has also written to Abeysekera, asking for permission to visit the former spy held on a detention order signed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

The text of Manori’s letter: “I respectfully request your assistance in granting me, and my daughter or alternatively my son, permission to visit my husband, Rtd. Major General Suresh Sallay, who is currently at the National Hospital, Colombo.

“As you are aware, my husband is presently engaged in a fast-unto-death campaign. His physical condition and emotional well-being are of deep concern to our family. During this difficult period, the presence and support of his immediate family are extremely important to him.

“I firmly believe that regular visits from me with our daughter or our son would help uplift his spirits, provide him with much-needed emotional strength, and may encourage him to reconsider continuing this course of action. Family support can play a vital role in preserving his mental and emotional health while he remains hospitalised.

“In view of these exceptional circumstances, I kindly request that permission be granted for either me and my daughter or my son to visit him daily during the period of his hospitalisation.

“I would be most grateful for your compassionate consideration of this request.”

“The text of the counsel’s letter: “I write in my capacity as Counsel for Rtd. Major General Suresh Sallay, who is presently under detention and admitted to the National Hospital, Colombo.

As you are aware, Major General Sallay has embarked on a fast-unto-death campaign, giving rise to serious concerns regarding his physical and mental well-being. In these circumstances, it is imperative that I be granted reasonable and regular access to my client during his hospitalisation.

As his legal representative, I have a professional obligation to monitor his condition and obtain instructions from him so that I may accurately apprise the relevant courts of his health status and any developments affecting his rights and welfare. Effective legal representation requires continuous communication with my client, particularly in light of the grave circumstances presently confronting him.

I also wish to respectfully highlight that Major General Sallay has placed explicit trust and confidence in me as his counsel. Indeed, I was the first person he contacted following his arrest.

Given the trust he reposes in me, I believe I am uniquely positioned to engage with him constructively and persuade him to discontinue this campaign and instead place his confidence in the legal remedies and judicial processes available to him.

For these reasons, I respectfully request that I be granted permission to visit my client on a daily basis during the period of his hospitalization.

Such access would not only facilitate the discharge of my professional responsibilities but may also contribute meaningfully towards safeguarding his health and encouraging a resolution through lawful and institutional means.

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CIABOC summons Yoshitha over his participation in British Navy training programme

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Yoshitha

Yoshitha Rajapaksa, who served as a Lieutenant in the Sri Lanka Navy, has now been summoned to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption next Tuesday (16) for questioning over his participation in a Royal Navy training programme in the United Kingdom outside established procedures.

The Commission is expected to record statements in relation to several complaints received regarding his recruitment and subsequent service in the Navy after he enlisted on December 14, 2006.

According to sources, the investigation focuses on allegations concerning the educational qualifications considered at the time of his enlistment, as well as foreign training opportunities he is said to have received while in service, which are suspected to have been granted in violation of due process.

The Bribery Commission has launched the inquiry under the provisions of the Anti-Corruption Act, officials said.

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