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Media groups vow to block Online Safety Bill amid rising concerns
Leading media groups and trade unions vowed last week to block an Online Safety Bill (OSB) amid rising chaos and concerns over the implications of the proposed law.Addressing a press conference in Colombo last Tuesday, Free Media Movement (FMM) spokesman Ananda Jayasekera said that the key media organizations in Sri Lanka along with some trade unions joined hands under the theme of “Stand against Oppressive Law” to stop the bill being enacted as a law.
“It is harmful for the freedom of expression and it creates a fear psychosis among the citizens and media on what they express online,” Jayasekera said adding that the FMM has filed a petition against the bill.
He said 34 petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court against the bill citing the proposed legislation is infringing fundamental human rights including freedom of expression.
Duminda Sampath, President of the Sri Lanka Working Journalist Association urged the 225 members of current parliament to go through the bill and assess the implications for themselves in the future.
“The high number of petitions shows that citizens understand something better than the 225 parliament members,” Sampath said.
“This bill must be defeated in the parliament. If it is passed, there will be only selective justice given we have witnessed some laws like Emergency Regulations and ICCPR (International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights) being applied in this country.”
“This is an act to hide the government’s corruption.”
President of Young Journalists Association of Sri Lanka, Tharindu Jayawardena said: “This bill is urgently brought in. This was not consulted with the stakeholders at all. We don’t need this bill.”
“We don’t know how the minister discussed the bill without any members of the media,” Jayawardena said.
“What the government is trying to do now is to show its hands are clean and they have consulted us. This is a dangerous law and it has to be stopped by any means. We will have to do something in addition to the legal means to stop this.”
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Showers will occur in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts
WEATHER FORECAST FOR 02 SEPTEMBER 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 02 September 2026 by the Department of Meteorology
The atmospheric conditions are getting favorable for afternoon thundershowers in the Northern, North-central, Eastern and Uva provinces in the next few days.
Several spells of showers will occur in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Eastern and Uva provinces and in Mullaitivu district after 2.00 p.m.
Fairly strong winds of about (30-40) kmph can be expected at times over the Western slopes of the Central hills, the North-central and North-western provinces and in Hambantota and Matale districts.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
Latest News
Sun directly overhead Anamaduwa, Moragollagama, Dambulla, Manampitiya and Valaichchenai, at about 12.10 noon today (02)
The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 28th of August to 07th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion.
The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (02) are Anamaduwa, Moragollagama, Dambulla, Manampitiya and Valaichchenai, at about 12.10 noon.
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SC rejects petitioners’ request for full bench
The Supreme Court yesterday rejected a request that the petitions challenging the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution be heard by a full bench of the Supreme Court.
Rejecting the request, Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena said the consideration of the petitions would proceed before the five-judge bench.
Appearing on behalf of one of the petitioners, President’s Counsel M. A. Sumanthiran made the request when the petitions were called for hearing yesterday before a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Surasena.
President’s Counsel Saliya Pieris, Ali Sabry, Geoffrey Alagaratnam, Eraj de Silva, Srinath Perera, Anura Meddegoda, and Maithri Gunaratne, along with other counsel appearing for several other petitioners, also made the same request.
Solicitor General Viraj Dayaratne, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, pointed out that the authority to determine the composition of a judicial bench rested with the Chief Justice. Refering to Article 132(3) of the Constitution, the Solicitor General argued that the discretion to determine the number of judges on a bench lay with the Chief Justice and that no other party had the authority to interfere in the matter.
Counsel including President’s Counsel Nigel Hatch, appearing for an intervening petitioner, also made submissions pointing out that the discretion to determine the composition of a bench rested with the Chief Justice.
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