News
CMC mayoral showdown today
The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) faces a mayoral showdown today after weeks of political horse-trading, tense negotiations and allegations of bribery.Both the JVP-led NPP and the SJB-led opposition group, vying for the coveted CMC mayoral post, expressed confidence of winning today’s contest.
The election of the new Mayor and the Deputy Mayor will take place as the first order of business, when the CMC meets today. The winning party needs at least 59 seats of the 117-member council to secure the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor.
The NPP obtained 48 seats at the 6 May Local Government elections whereas the SJB managed to secure only 29.
At a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, at the JVP Palewatte office on Saturday, the ruling party declared that it would form the administration at the CMC. Vraie Cally Balthazaar, who contested the LG poll as the NPP’s mayoral candidate, assured the gathering that the ruling party would take over the CMC.
The UNP came third at the CMC with 13 seats, and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) gained five seats.Political sources said that UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe proposed that the SJB and UNP at least contest together for the CMC but Sajith Premadasa rejected that move.
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress received four seats, Independent Group No. 03 obtained three seats, the Sarvajana Balaya received two seats, and the United Peace Alliance also secured two seats.
Independent Groups No. 04 and 05 received two seats each.
The United Republic Front, the National People’s Party, the National Freedom Front, the Podujana United Front, the Democratic National Alliance, Independent Group No. 01, and Independent Group No. 02 received one seat each.
Well informed sources said that the NPP seemed to be having an edge over the SJB-led grouping though the Opposition last week reached consensus on alliance to take over some of the hung councils. The NPP scored outright victories in 161 councils out of 339 bodies to which elections were held on 06 May.
Meanwhile, the March 12 Movement has claimed that political parties/individuals are being bribed by those seeking to form administration at various hung councils. The civil society grouping has said that while conclusive evidence remains limited, widespread public opinion suggests that financial incentives and other benefits may have influenced the support extended to various parties. Such perceptions, whether confirmed or not, do not bode well for the future of local governance, the group has said.
Latest News
Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura
The National Building Research Institute [NBRI] has issued Landslide Early Warnings to the Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura valid upto 0900 AM on 23rd May 2026.
Accordingly,
LEVEL I [RED] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Deraniyagala, Ruwanwella and Dehiowita in the Kegalle district and Ratnapura, Ayagama, Kuruwita and Eheliyagoda in the Ratnapura district.
LEVEL II [AMBER] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Seethawaka and Padukka in the Colombo district, Attanagalla in the Gampaha district, Horana, Bulathsinhala, Ingiriya and Palindanuwara in the Kalutara district, Yatiyanthota in the Kegalle district and Pelmadulla, Kiriella, Elapatha, Kalawana and Nivithigala in the Rathnapura district.
LEVEL I [YELLOW] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Mirigama and Divulapitiya in the Gampaha district, Agalawatta and Mathugama in the Kalutara district, Bulathkohupitiya in the Kegalle district and Ambagamuwa in the Nuwara Eliya district.
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Minor flood situation likely to occur within the next few hours in the low-lying floodplain areas of the Kalu River
Based on the heavy rainfall currently being received in the Kalu River Basin and the analysis of water level data recorded at hydrological gauging stations maintained by the Irrigation Department within the Kalu River Basin, it is hereby warned that a Minor Flood Situation is likely to occur within the next
few hours in the low-lying floodplain areas of the Kalu River.
The affected areas include the Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Ratnapura, Kuruwita, Ayagama, Elapatha, Kiriella in Ratnapura District.
The public residing in these areas, as well as motorists and passengers travelling through the affected regions, are strongly requested to act with utmost vigilance and to take all necessary
precautions. Disaster Management Authorities are requested to take necessary actions in this regard.
A considerable rainfall has occurred in the catchment areas of the Aththanagalu Oya Basin as atb5.00 AM today (22).
By analyzing the current rainfall situation and river water levels of Hydrological Stations on the Aththanagalu Oya, there is a possibility of a flood situation occuring in some low lying
areas of the Aththanagalu Oya and Uruwal Oya valleys situated in Diwulapitiya, Mirigama, Attanagalla, Mahara, Gampaha, Minuwangoda, Ja-ela, Katana and Wattala Div8sional Secretaries Divisions within next 48 hours.
Owing to this situation, there is a possibility of some of the roads running through these lowlying areas being inundated at some places.
The public residing in these areas, as well as motorists traveling through these regions, are requested to exercise extreme caution regarding this situation.
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Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura
Minor flood situation likely to occur within the next few hours in the low-lying floodplain areas of the Kalu River
Flood warning issued to low lying areas of the Aththanagalu Oya and Uruwal Oya valleys
Flood warning issued to low lying areas of the Kelani River valley
Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Gampaha, Kalutara and Ratnapura
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