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FR case against Selendiva Company
A fundamental rights petition was filed in the Supreme Court yesterday seeking an order to prevent the Treasury Secretary from taking any steps to sell, lease or alienate state properties, vested with Selendiva Investments Ltd., Company or any subsidiary of this company. The petition was filed by G. Kapila Renuka Perera, Secretary of the Professional’s National Front Sri Lanka (PNF).
Attorney-at-Law Dharshana Weraduwage appears for Perera, who says he is trying to protect public property and prevent their to misuse.
Those named as respondents are Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Treasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle, the Director General of Department of Public Enterprises P. A.S. Athula Kumara, Selendiva Investments Limited, Auditor General W. P. C. Wickremaratne, Security and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka, Colombo Stock Exchange, the Registrar General of Companies, Hotel Developers (Lanka) PLC, Hotels Colombo (1963) Ltd, Bank of Ceylon, Canwill Holdings (Private) Limited, Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation Ltd, The Monetary Board (CBSL), Litro Gas Lanka Ltd, Urban Development Authority, Secretary to the Cabinet, Selendiva Leisure Investments Limited and the Attorney General.
The petitioner states that on or around 18 of May, 2021, he saw a Cabinet news briefing. One of the proposals that had been approved by the Cabinet was to hand over state-owned Canwill Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, Hotel Developers (Lanka) PLC and Hotels Colombo Ltd to Selendiva Investments Ltd without the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers, he said.
The petitioner has said Selendiva Investments Ltd., has been incorporated in accordance with a Cabinet approval granted on or around 24th of March 2020. The complete ownership of the company is vested with Secretary to the Treasury and the objective was to form a state-owned Property Development Company to restructure several state owned entities to improve their performance.
However, Selendiva is now trying to sell some heritage buildings listed in the City of Colombo Development Plan 1999. The petitioner says such action will not only cause irreparable damages to the cultural heritage of the country but also threaten the country’s sovereignty and violate the fundamental rights of the citizens of the country.
The petitioner has also sought Supreme Court to nominate a Special Bench for the disposal of this petition in terms of Article 132(3) (iii) of the Constitution.
The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has issued landslide early warnings to the districts of Gampaha, Kalutara and Ratnapura valid untill 0300 hrs on 23rd May 2026.
Accordingly,
Level II landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Attanagalla in the Gampaha district and Ratnapura and Kuruvita in the Ratnapura district.
Level I landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Bulathsinghala in the Kalutara district and Eheliyagoda in the Ratnapura district.
The President’s Fund has expressed its attention towards providing a monthly scholarship allowance for school-going children of low-income lottery sellers, as a means of supporting their educational needs.
This was revealed during a discussion held om Wednesday (20) at the Presidential Secretariat between the Secretary to the President’s Fund and Senior Additional Secretary to the President, Roshan Gamage and officials of the National Lotteries Board and the Development Lotteries Board.
The President’s Fund currently provides financial assistance across a wide range of sectors to support low-income groups, while also implementing various scholarship schemes for schoolchildren. As an additional step, approval has reportedly been granted by the governing board of the President’s Fund to extend scholarships to children of low-income lottery sellers.
It was noted that the National Lotteries Board and Development Lotteries Board make a significant contribution to the President’s Fund. However, discussions also highlighted the fact that the living conditions of lottery sellers, who play a key role in generating revenue for these institutions, have remained largely unchanged. Accordingly, attention has been directed towards recognising their contribution and providing relief to ease their financial burden.
The proposal to introduce scholarships for school-going children of low-income lottery sellers through the President’s Fund was discussed in detail. Officials of both the National Lotteries Board and the Development Lotteries Board expressed their willingness to support the initiative. It was also decided that the programme would be implemented expeditiously through Divisional Secretariats.
Among those present were Chairman of the National Lotteries Board M. D. C. Anton Perera, General Manager of the National Lotteries Board A. M. Arif, and General Manager of the Development Lotteries Board W. K. A. A. Jayarathne, along with other officials.
(PMD)
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Showers above 200 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts.
WEATHER FORECAST FOR 22 MAY 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 22 May 2026 by the Department of Meteorology
The South-West monsoon is gradually getting established over the island and the current rainy conditions over the south-western parts of the island are expected to continue further for the next few hours.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Very heavy showers above 200 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces. Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Several spells of showers will occur in the Northern province and in Anuradhapura district while showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Uva province and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts after 2.00 pm.
Fairly strong winds about (35-45) kmph can be expected at 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
Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Gampaha, Kalutara and Ratnapura
President’s Fund to consider scholarships for children of low-income lottery sellers
Showers above 200 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts.
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