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Battle for SLFP leadership gets down and dirty

Published

2 years ago

2024/04/9

Sahan Weerasooriya

Dayasiri

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva was appointed as the Acting Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) when a section of the politburo of the Party held a meeting yesterday (08) at its Headquarters at Darley Road.

Those who gathered yesterday also entrusted the duties of the SLFP Secretary to SLFP National Organiser Duminda Dissanayake.

“The party’s Senior Vice Chairman Nimal Siripala de Silva convened this meeting with 06 out of 11 politburo members, registered with the Elections Commission present. We have decided to appoint Minister Silva, who is one of the most senior leaders of the party, as Acting Chairman,” SLFP National Organiser Dissanayake said, adding that the SLFP’s political fortunes had ebbed in the last few years because party Chairman, Maithripala Sirisena had amended the SLFP Constitution for self-aggrandisement.

“We also decided to change the SLFP Constitution. We appointed a committee, led by a President’s Counsel, to change the Constitution.”

Dissanayake said former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, who was also present, too, had been sidelined by Sirisena although she was a mentor of the party.

“So, we decided to invite her to the meeting. She came as an observer. We have also decided to create a new post for the SLFP, that is a position of party leader,” he said.

Earlier, Acting Secretary of the SLFP, Sarathi Dushmantha had refused to convene a politburo meeting following a request made by Minister Silva. Dushmantha was not present at yesterday’s meeting.

“Minister Silva asked Dushmantha to call for a meeting. He however refused to convene a meeting, violating the SLFP Constitution. The politburo, which met on Monday, decided to hand over his duties to me. I will coordinate things with the Election Commission from now on,” Dissanayake said.

Kumaratunga said that everyone had asked her to contest the 2015 presidential election.

“Instead, I brought in Sirisena with a lot of hope. However, he destroyed the country and the SLFP. I have rectified the mistake I made a decade ago,” she said.

Kumaratunga insisted that minister Silva was the best person to head the SLFP.

Meanwhile, former SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekera said that the politburo meeting that took place on Monday was unconstitutional. The party Constitution stipulated that the politburo comprise 15 members, he said.

“This includes the Chairman, the General Secretary and 13 people chosen from the Central Committee. Someone who is not in the Central Committee can’t become a politburo member. The Politburo can’t convene without the Chairman. Any politburo meeting without the Chairman and the General Secretary is not constitutional. Therefore, Monday’s meeting was not legal,” he said.

Meanwhile, Colombo District Court extended the interim injunction order preventing the SLFP Executive Committee from removing Duminda Dissanayake, Lasantha Alagiyawanna and Mahinda Amaraweera from their positions in the party until 24 April.

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Thileepan rembered on 39th death anniversary

Published

2 hours ago

2026/09/26

Priyan

(Pic by PRIYAN DE SILVA)

A commemorative service was held in memory of Rasaiah Parthipan commonly known by the nom de guerre ‘Thileepan’ in Nallur Jaffna this morning (26).

Parthipan a revolutionary member of the LTTE and a student of the University of Jaffna, commenced a hunger strike on 15th September 1987 untill his death on 26th September 1987. He was 23 years old at the time of his demise.

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Landslide Early Warnings issued to the districts of Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Hambanthota, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matara, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura

Published

15 hours ago

2026/09/26

Priyan

The National Building Research Institute has issued landslide early warnings to the districts of Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Hambanthota, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matara, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura from 16:00 hrs on 25.09.2026 To 16:00 hrs on 26.09.2026

Accordingly,
LEVEL III [RED] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Neluwa, Nagoda, Niyagama and Thawalama inthe Galle district, Ganga Ihala Korale, Udapalatha, Doluwa and Pasbage Korale in the Kandy district, and Kothmale West, Ambagamuwa, Kotmale East and Norwood in the Nuwara Eliya district.

LEVEL II [AMBER] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Elpitiya, Baddegama and Karandeniya in the Galle district, Walallawita in the Kalutara district, Deltota, Udunuwara, Gangawata Korale, Yatinuwara and Panvila in the Kandy district, Aranayake, Dehiowita, Mawanella, Deraniyagala and Yatiyanthota in the Kegalle district, Thalawakelle in the Nuwara Eliya district and Ratnapura and Pelmadulla in the Ratnapura district.

LEVEL I [YELLOW] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Seethawaka and Padukka in the Colombo district, Attanagalla and Mirigama in the Gampaha district, Katuwana and Walasmulla in the Hambanthota district, Ingiriya and Bulathsinhala in the Kalutara district, Hatharaliyadda, Poojapitiya, Medadumbara, Kundasale, Ududumbara, Thumpane, Akurana, Pathadumbara, Harispattuwa and Pathahewaheta in the Kandy district, Warakapola, Bulathkohupitiya, Galigamuwa, Kegalle and Ruwanwella in the Kegalle district, Mallawapitiya, Alawwa, Polgahawela and Mawathagama in the Kegalle district, Pitabeddara, Kotapola and Pasgoda in the Matara district, Nuwara Eliya in the Nuwara Eliya district and Elapatha, Ayagama, Nivithigala, Kuruwita and Kalawana in the Ratnapura district

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22A, Judicature Amendment Bills passed with 2/3 majority

Published

17 hours ago

2026/09/26

Thilina Walpola

Parliament yesterday passed the Twenty-Second Amendment to the Constitution Bill and the Judicature (Amendment) Bill with two-thirds majorities, with 158 MPs voting in favour and 63 against each Bill.

The Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) voted with the SJB against the Bills.

NDF MPs Ravi Karunanayake and Faizer Musthapha and SJB Badulla District MP Nayana Wasalathilaka were not present when the votes were taken.

The final vote on the Judicature (Amendment) Bill was announced at around 8.08 p.m. after Opposition MPs called for divisions on its clauses during the Committee Stage.

The votes followed a two-day debate which commenced on Thursday (24), after Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara presented the Bills for their Second Reading.

The Supreme Court’s determination on the Bills was presented to Parliament on Tuesday (22) by Speaker Dr Jagath Wickramaratne. The Court determined that the 22nd Amendment Bill did not require approval at a referendum and could be passed by a special two-thirds majority in Parliament.

The amendment provides for raising the mandatory retirement age of Supreme Court judges from 65 to 67 and that of Court of Appeal judges from 63 to 65. It also provides for the Chief Justice to retire at 67 or after completing six years in office, whichever comes earlier.

The Speaker informed Parliament that the Judicature (Amendment) Bill could be passed by a simple majority.

The SJB opposed the legislation and its MPs attended Parliament dressed in black yesterday. The party also staged a protest at Polduwa Junction, Battaramulla, under the theme “No to 22, which destroys democracy”, with Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and several SJB politicians participating.