News
Those who do not submit campaign finance returns by next Tuesday may lose political rights: Election Monitor
Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Reforms and Electoral Studies (IRES) Manjula Gajanayake has said that only 3,712 out of 75,589 contestants, 49 political parties and 257 independent groups who contested the 2025 local government elections on 6 May had submitted their campaign finance statements to the Election Commission (EC) by Thursday (22). He has warned that those who fail to do so by 27 May will have to face consequences as per the Campaign Expenditure Regulation Act No 3 of 2023.
Gajanayake said those who violated the campaign expenditure laws may even lose their political rights; they may not be able either to vote or to contest election for three years.
Gajanayake said that IRES had been actively monitoring campaign expenditure incurred by political parties and candidates since 2024 and it was aware that four General Secretaries of recognised political parties had not submitted their campaign finance income/expenditure statements even though the candidates who repre sented the political parties had done so.
Three persons who proposed the candidatures of three contestants in the last presidential election had not submitted their campaign finance reports. Three candidates who contested the presidential election had failed to submit their campaign finance income/expenditure statements, the IRES said.
The election monitor said that all 150 candidates who contested the Elpitiya Local Authorities Election and the political parties and independents had not submitted their campaign expenditure returns.
Gajanayake said that of the 8,361 candidates who contested last year’s general election, only 7,412 candidates had submitted their campaign finance income/ expenditure statements. Of the 527 National List nominees, only 43 had submitted their campaign finance statements. Of the 690 political parties and independent groups that contested that election only 493 had complied with the legal requirement.
Gajanayake said that it was imperative that the authorities expedite the process of taking legal action against the offenders. The EC informs the Police of those who have violated the Campaign Finance Act. The police seek the Attorney General’s opinion before instituting legal action and this is a long, drawn-out process.
Gajanayake said it would be prudent for all concerned to submit their election campaign income/expenditure statements by the due date and avoid prosecution.
by PRIYAN DE SILVA
News
Formulation of a Draft Economic Development Bill to expedite the process of Digital Transformation and Digital Economic Development
It is essential to establish an institutional framework with legal powers to ensure the effective implementation of national digital policy and guidelines.
Quality human capital should be attracted to this institutional framework for the compilation of policies, implementation of policies, regulation, and empowerment of operations. The continuous participation of the private sector should also be considered in establishing a strong institutional framework.
It has been further identified that attention should also be
drawn to new fields of digital innovation, including support for artificial intelligence and related activities.
Taking into consideration the aforementioned matters, a concept paper has been formulated to prepare a Draft Economic Development Bill for the establishment of a new institutional framework.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Digital Economy to instruct legal draftsman to formulate a Draft Economic Development Bill based on the aforementioned concept paper.
The Sri Lanka Community and Health Survey is the main data source for obtaining necessary information for reviewing progress toward achieving the national health development goals, as well as the expected sustainable development goals by 2030.
The last survey was conducted in the year 2016, and the Sri Lanka Community and Health Survey should be conducted to obtain updated data to enable the collection of related data and indicators concerning the health and well-being targets of the Global Sustainable Development Objectives.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development to take necessary steps to conduct the aforementioned survey.
The access to secure, reliable and affordable drinking water and adequate sanitation facilities is essential to maintain public health, promote social well-being and foster economic development.
The Sri Lankan Government recognizes water supply and sanitation services as both an economic good and a basic human need. Therefore, when pricing for water and sanitation, a balance should be maintained between the financial sustainability of the service providers and the requirement to ensure fair and affordable access for all strata in the society.
Accordingly, the Sri Lankan government has identified the necessity of a national water supply that is sensitive to gender equality and social integration applicable to all water supply and sanitation service providers. At present, there is no formal national framework for setting, reviewing, approving, and implementing tariffs for water supply systems operated by various water supply providers as well as for setting, reviewing, approving, and implementing tariffs for sanitation systems.
Therefore, the Ministry of Housing, Construction, and Water Supply has formulated a water tariff policy covering all water supply service providers under the Sri Lanka Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Reform Program, which is a policy-based loan program implemented under Asian Development Bank funds.
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Formulation of a Draft Economic Development Bill to expedite the process of Digital Transformation and Digital Economic Development
Cabinet approval for Sri Lanka Community and Health Survey – 2026/2027
A National Water Tariff Policy for all Water Supply and Sanitation Services
National Policy on Green Hydrogen in Sri Lanka
Cabinet nod to amend the Customs Ordinance
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