News

SJB whips up frenzy over flaws in draft 20A

Published

6 years ago

2020/09/15

By Saman Indrajith

The Samagi Jana Balavegaya had commenced a campaign to safeguard the democratic values of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution and named it 19Plus, SJB MP Tissa Attanayake said yesterday.

Addressing the media at the Opposition Leader’s Office in Colombo, MP Attanayake said that the campaign would be launched officially at 4 pm today at the New Town Hall.

He said that the proposed 20th Amendment to the Constitution by the government had become a fatherless baby. “The Justice Minister says that though he submitted the draft to the Cabinet he does not know who prepared it.

Minister Wimal Weerawansa says that the draft does not have a father. The Prime Minister does not know about it. The Cabinet of Ministers too are in the dark about the persons involved in drafting the Amendment and its content. Not even the Parliamentary group of the government is aware of anything certain about the draft bill.”

MP Attanayake said that the proposed 20th Amendment contained many anti-democratic provisions. “As we go through the draft bill it could be seen that there is provision for increasing the number of Cabinet ministers, dissolving parliament one year after its formation, enabling those with dual citizenship to come to parliament, abolition of independent commissions, etc.. People did not give a mandate to the government for any of these things.”

SJB Kurunegala District MP Nalin Bandara Jayamaha said: “This is a very decisive moment. Now, it is clear that the President does not abide by the Constitutional provisions. He exceeded his powers when spending money for COVID-19. He cannot hold the defence portfolio. But he keeps that ministry by force. There is an ongoing opposition within the government ranks against the 20th Amendment, which has been formulated by a team with the blessings of the President. Now, another team loyal to the Prime Minister is opposing it. Time was when the President and the Prime Minister were at loggerheads. Ranil Wickremesinghe and Maithripala Sirisena pulled the government in two opposite directions. Now the power has been given to a single family and the same tug-o-war is going on between the President and the Prime Minister. The proposed 20th Amendment is something akin to preparing a pitch to play a fraudulent match.”

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News

Animal Welfare Draft Bill to be Gazetted

Published

2 hours ago

2026/06/24

Priyan

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.

News

Legal provisions on marking voters using indelible ink during elections removed

Published

2 hours ago

2026/06/24

Priyan

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

Published

2 hours ago

2026/06/24

Priyan

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.