News
Govt. to legislate for abortion on medical grounds
The government is planning to introduce new laws to allow women to terminate pregnancies in cases of fatal birth defects that cannot be medically treated or corrected, Parliament was told yesterday.
Responding to a question raised by SJB Kalutara District MP Ajith P. Perera, Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said necessary measures are being taken for the introduction of a law to allow women to terminate pregnancies in cases of fatal birth defects that cannot be medically treated or corrected.
Nanayakkara said that he had previously explained the systematic process required to be followed while drafting the legal framework in this regard.
The Justice Minister said the process will not be dragged on and the Justice Ministry hopes to introduce the necessary legal provisions soon.
“We have started reviewing the existing laws in this regard and those linked to this matter. A list has been compiled of the relevant laws. The Justice Ministry is working on creating the necessary system for these laws. We have already decided to submit this matter before the Law Commission. Therefore, we were only able to do this in the last four months,” he said.
Nanayakkara said that the Ministry is focusing on identifying the laws and the necessary systems required to introduce a legal framework.
Stating that this was taking some time, he clarified that the Ministry was not delaying or failing to address the need for laws to allow women to terminate pregnancies in cases of fatal birth defects that cannot be medically treated or corrected.
The legal framework being drafted would provide legal backing for women to make this decision when lethal foetal abnormalities are detected during gestation.It is reported that under the proposed legal procedure, two medical specialists must confirm the severity of the condition, and terminations would be conducted in State-run hospitals.
It has been reported that two persons riding a motorcycle were killed in a shooting incident that took place around 11.45pm on Friday [21] night , in front of the southern entrance of the Devundara Sri Vishnu Devalaya, on Sinhasana Road.
The unidentified gunmen, who arrived in a van, opened fire using a T-56 assault rifle and 9 mm firearms before fleeing the scene. The police have recovered 39 T-56 bullet casings, two T-56 rounds of live ammunition, a T-56 magazine, three 9 mm bullet casings, and one 9mm live ammunition.
The van suspected to have been used by the shooters was found abandoned and set on fire on a side road about 800 meters from the crime scene.
The two deceased victims have been identified as Tikira Hennedige Yomesh Nadishan and Marakkala Manage Pasidu Tharuka, both residents of Sinhasana Road, Devinuwara.
Matale Dirstrict SJB MP Rohini Kumari Wijerathna yesterday tabled a list in Parliament naming 1,300 members, leaders, trade unionists, and activists of the UNP, who were allegedly assassinated by the JVP. The list was submitted during a parliamentary session as part of the government’s ongoing effort to document victims of political violence.
Along with the names of the victims, MP Wijerathna also introduced over 900 family members of the alleged victims, providing further context to the extent of the violence.
Speaking during the session, MP Wijerathna stated, “Child soldiers were recruited by the JVP even before the LTTE. ‘Kantale Bonikki,’ a 13-year-old child was used to murder a 70-year-old female UNP supporter.” She accused the JVP of using children to kill numerous UNP members during the JVP’s second insurgency.
The MP said that names not included in the current list would be submitted during the upcoming “Batalanda Debate” in April.
MP Wijerathna invited the public, via her Facebook page to submit further details on family members affected by political violence to ensure their inclusion in the extended record.
Deputy Labour Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe yesterday informed Parliament that a CID probe had been called into land deals involving former first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa in Gampaha.
Jayasinghe said a request has been made by the Acting IGP in that regard.
The Deputy Minister said the lands in the Imbulgoda and Makola had been purchased in 2012 and sold in 2023.
He told Parliament that a plot of land purchased in Ihala Imbulgoda in 2012 under the Mahinda Rajapaksa Spiritual Foundation for Rs. 500,000 has been sold for Rs. 10 million, adding that the owner of the land is one Shiranthi Wickramasinghe Rajapaksa of Carlton House, Tangalle.
Jayasinghe said that another plot of land in Makola that was purchased for Rs. 01 million has been sold for Rs. 12 million, of which the owner was Shiranthi Wickramasinghe Rajapaksa of Carlton House, Tangalle. Inquiries into the land deals have revealed that the deeds had been drawn up and signed at Temple Trees and had been transferred in 2023 to a person residing in Nugegoda.
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