News
Only two female MPs out of 12 invited turn up at International Women’s Day celebrations
Text and pix BY PRIYAN DE SILVA
Speaking at the International Women’s Day Celebrations, organised by the female councillors of the Matale District Local Government institutions, SJB MP and member of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus, Rohini Kavirathne, said that one of her male counterparts in Parliament had called for a boycott of the ceremony held at Pallepola in Matale on Sunday (07).
Out of 12 members of the Women Parliamentarians Caucus invited to the event only Manjula Dissanayaka MP and Rohini Kavirathne MP attended the event. Sita Arambepola MP and Dr Sudarshani Fernandopulle Chairperson of the Caucus addressed the event via zoom.
The theme for Sunday’s event was ‘Campaign to eliminate sexual harassment in the world of work ‘and was held in commemoration of national heroine Ehelepola Kumarihamy. It was recalled that throughout the country’s history from the times of Princess Kuveni to Ehelepola Kumarihamy and even to the present day females had not been treated equally.
MP Manjula Dissanayaka said that even though 52% of Sri Lanka’s population was women there were only 12 female MPs among the 225 Members of Parliament. She added that proportionately the figure should be at least 112 female MPs and hoped that the number would increase at future elections.
Chief Incumbent of the Ehelepola Purana Viharaya Ven Palawahthay Sonuththara Thera said that it might have been more beneficial to the country if all 225 members of Parliament had been females.
Delivering the keynote speech at the event which was slotted before the vote of thanks, National Coordinator of the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence Manjula Gajanayaka said that although there were 1,926 female councillors in local government bodies due to the 25% quota granted to females, females were underrepresented in Parliament.
Out of the 2,899 MPs elected between 1947 and 2021, only 133 were females , he said, noting that only a handful of females had been appointed to decision-making positions in Parliament as well as other political institutions. Citing the Election Commission of Sri Lanka as an example, the Election Monitor said that no females had been appointed as members of the Election Commission ever.
Gajanayake pointed out that there were no allegations of corruption levelled against females appointed as MPs and councillors of LG institutions but added that those females had no opportunity to stand against corruption that took place in their institutions.
Irrespective of the call for a boycott, a considerable number of female representatives of local government bodies in the Matale District together with the Mayor of Dambulla and Chairman of the Pallepola Pradeshiya Sabha attended the event.
A specialists committee has been appointed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation adhering to the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers dated 29.12.2025 for submitting appropriate recommendations analyzing the provisions of the draft bill formulation in regard to Animal Welfare.
Based on the recommendations of the said Committee, the Legal Draftsman has been instructed at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers held on 18.05.2026 to prepare the final bill on the animal welfare.
Wherefore, the Legal Draftsman has formulated the draft bill and the clearance of the Attorney General has been received in the connection.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to publish the said draft bill in the
Government Gazette Notification and subsequently forward the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Under the legal provisions for elections in this country since 2004, it is mandatory for voters who come to mark their votes to verify their identity through a valid identity card, and it is also mandatory for all such voters to be marked with an appropriate mark using indelible ink. The dual purpose of these two functions is to prevent a voter from voting more than once in a single election.
It has been observed that having to follow two different
methods at the same time to achieve the same objective hinders the efficiency of the duties performed at the polling stations and also incurs additional costs to the government.
Therefore, it has been deemed appropriate to remove the legal provisions regarding the use of indelible ink and marking the voter with the appropriate mark from all election acts.
Accordingly, the development activities of the province, as well as national security, will benefit. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the
President to take necessary steps to remove the legal provisions
• Section 36 of the presidential Election Act, No 15 of 1981
• Section 38 of the Parliamentary Election Act, No 01 of 1981
• Section 36 of the Provincial Council Election Act, No 02 of 1988
• Section 53 A of the Local Government Elections Ordinance (262 Authority)
• Section 21 of the Referendum Act No 7 of 1981
News
Showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts
WEATHER FORECAST FOR 24 JUNE 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 24 June 2026 by the Department of Meteorology
Several spells of showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Uva province and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts after 2.00 p.m.
Fairly strong winds about (30-40) kmph can be expectedat times over the Western slopes of the central hills, the Northern, North-central, North-western and Southern provinces and in Trincomalee district.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
Munoz sends Colombia into World Cup knockouts with 1-0 win over DR Congo
Animal Welfare Draft Bill to be Gazetted
Legal provisions on marking voters using indelible ink during elections removed
Showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts
Court vacancy row throws Parliament into turmoil; sittings disrupted
Climate, pollution, forest loss now hitting economy: BASL chief
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
News6 days agoCreditor receives USD 2.5 mn as Lankan public bears loss from theft of Treasury funds
-
News5 days agoCreditor not yet paid
-
News5 days agoConsumers bearing 22% tax burden despite 18% VAT claim: Dr. Harsha de Silva
-
Opinion7 days agoBeyond diagnosis: A strategic design for 7% growth by 2029 (Part I)
-
Features4 days agoNanda Pethiyagoda Wanasundara as three generations of family saw her
-
Opinion6 days agoSriLankan Airbus struck by lightning
-
Features3 days agoSri Lanka developing independent hydrographic capabilities
-
Latest News3 days agoSooryavanshi thumps fastest List A fifty as India A win tri-series