News

General election: Political parties urged not to nominate undesirables

Published

1 year ago

2024/10/7

Thilina Walpola

Rohana Hettiarachchi

‘No harm in accommodating those who have been unseated by SC on disciplinary grounds’

by Shamindra Ferdinando

The March 12 Movement, which consists of election monitoring groups and civil society outfits, has asked political parties not to field those who have been found guilty by courts on corruption charges and other criminal offences, at the parliamentary election scheduled to be held on 14 Nov.

Executive Director of PAFFREL (People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections) Rohana Hettiarachchi, who is also the co-convenor of the March 12 Movement, said that if those facing legal proceedings were included in nomination lists, political parties concerned would be answerable to the public.

Against the backdrop of the peaceful presidential election and incident-free post-poll environment, tangible measures could be taken to clean up political parties, Hettiarachchi said. Responding to The Island queries, the civil society activist said political parties had to handpick suitable persons as National List nominees.

“The inclusion of one undesirable character in a particular list can be disastrous for the entire party,” Hettiarachchi said, urging the electorate to exercise their franchise to stop re-entry of disreputable politicians regardless of the party they represented.

Hettiarachchi referred to the Colombo High Court imposing a two-year RI sentence on Minister Prasanna Ranatunga in June 2022 over the Meethotamulla land dispute case and his subsequent appeal against the HC decision as well as Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva’s resignation in July 2022 in the wake of bribery allegations and reinstatement in the following month.

Hettiarachchi underscored the need for a drastic change in political parties’ approach towards transparency.

Responding to another query, Hettiarachchi said that those who had been unseated by the Supreme Court on disciplinary grounds couldn’t be deprived of nominations on corruption accusations. Hettiarachchi was referring to SC decision to unseat Batticaloa District MP Nazeer Ahamed in Oct 2023 and. removal of Manusha Nanayakkara and Harin Fernando in August 2024.

Hettiarachchi asserted that former State Minister Diana Gamage’s situation couldn’t be compared with previously mentioned cases as she was deprived of her National List slot for failing to prove her Sri Lankan citizenship.

The arrest of gold smuggling Muslim National Alliance (MNA) MP Ali Sabry Raheem at the BIA in March 2023 and the failure on the part of Parliament and his party to deal with him emphasized the responsibility on the part of the voters to elect suitable people.

Over 17. 1 million people are eligible to vote at the general election.

Hettiarachchi said that the March 12 Movement would go all out to encourage the electorate to keep undesirable elements out of parliament.

The civil society activist pointed out how Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, arrested on corruption charges, had been cleared by Parliament in the second week of Sept. 2023. Following a three-day debate, 113 MPs voted against the no-faith motion directed at Rambukwella whereas 73 supported it.Hettiarachchi said that those who stood by the former minister owed the public an explanation

All News Advertisement

Latest News

Advisory for Severe Lightning issued to the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and Galle and Matara districts

Published

4 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

Advisory for Severe Lightning Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre at 12.30 noon 12 March 2026 valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 12 March 2026

Thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur at some places in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts after 2.00 p.m.

There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.

ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
 Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
 Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
 Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
 For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.

Latest News

Nasa spacecraft weighing 1,300lb due to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere

Published

5 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

The two Van Allen Probes were launched in 2012 [BBC]

A Van Allen Probe spacecraft weighing more than 1,300lb (600kg) is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere almost 14 years after its launch, Nasa says.

The spacecraft is projected to re-enter around 19:45 EDT (23:45 GMT) on Tuesday the US Space Force predicted, according to Nasa, though there is a 24-hour margin of “uncertainty” in the timing.

The Van Allen Probe A, which launched in 2012, is expected mostly to burn up as it travels through the atmosphere, though some components may survive.

The space agency said there is a one in 4,200 chance of being harmed by a piece of the probe, which it characterised as “low” risk.

The spacecraft and its twin, Van Allen Probe B, were on a mission to gather unprecedented data on Earth’s two permanent radiation belts.

It was not immediately clear where in Earth’s atmosphere the satellite is projected to re-enter. The BBC has contacted Nasa for further detail.

Nasa and the US Space Force have said they will monitor the re-entry and update any predictions.

The mission, which was originally designed to last two years, went on for almost seven. It ended after the spacecrafts ran out of fuel and were no longer able to orient themselves toward the Sun.

The probes flew through rings of charged particles trapped by Earth’s magnetic field from 2012 to 2019, in order to study how particles were gained and lost, per Nasa.

Those rings, called the Van Allen belts, shield Earth from cosmic radiation, solar storms and streaming solar wind, which are harmful to humans and can damage technology.

The mission made significant discoveries, including the first data that show the existence of a transient third radiation belt, which can form during times of intense solar activity, Nasa said.

Van Allen Probe B is not expected to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere before 2030.

[BBC]

News

PM Visits the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

Published

6 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya visited the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines, on 11 March 2026, and held bilateral discussions with Yvonne Pinto, Director General of IRRI, focusing on strengthening cooperation in the field of rice research and sustainable agricultural development.

During the meeting, discussions centered on rice cultivation in Sri Lanka, including the key challenges faced by Sri Lankan paddy farmers. The Prime Minister highlighted issues affecting the sector such as productivity constraints, climate-related impacts, and the need to support farmers through improved agricultural practices and technological innovations.

Both sides also discussed the importance of introducing modern techniques and research-driven approaches to rice cultivation in order to enhance productivity and ensure long-term food security. In this regard, IRRI shared insights on ongoing global research initiatives aimed at improving rice varieties, strengthening climate resilience, and promoting sustainable farming practices.

The discussion further focused on the potential for expanded collaboration between Sri Lanka and IRRI, particularly in areas such as research partnerships, knowledge sharing, and capacity building for Sri Lankan agricultural institutions and farmers. The Prime Minister emphasized Sri Lanka’s interest in strengthening cooperation with IRRI to support the development of the country’s rice sector and to improve the livelihoods of paddy farmers.

The visit reaffirmed the importance of science-based agricultural innovation and international collaboration in addressing food security challenges and enhancing sustainable rice production in Sri Lanka.