Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 24.01.2024 either to amend provisions of the aged – old Bills of Exchange Ordinance No. 25 of 1927 (Authority 82) or repeal it.

Accordingly, the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 15.07.2024 to publish the draft bill of the  Bills of Exchange (Amendment) which was prepared by the Legal Draftsmen in the government gazette notification and subsequently forward the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.

However, due dissolution of the Parliament on 24.09.2024, the said draft bill could not be presented to the Parliament.

Under the circumstances,  considering the joint resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Plan Implementation and Economic Development together with the Minister of Justice and National Integration, the Cabinet of Ministers decided  to grant  approval  for the draft Bills of Exchange (Amendment) Act and publish the same in the government gazette notification and subsequently present it to Parliament for its concurrence.

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the exploration and production of petroleum and natural gas in 04 exploration plots in the Mannar Basin, and to obtain the services of a suitable marketing consultant to implement an effective marketing program for that purpose.

[According to the exploration and mining conducted by Cairn Lanka (Private) Limited in 2011, two [02] natural gas deposits were discovered in the M2 exploration block of the Mannar Basin that confirmed the existence of a viable hydrocarbon system

In accordance with the provisions of the Petroleum Resource Act No 21 of 2021, Sri Lanka Petroleum Development Authority has been vested the powers to call for investment proposals for the offshore petroleum and natural gas exploration plots in terms of the prescribed procedures of the regulations approved by the Cabinet of Ministers]

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Justice and National Integration to appoint a technical specialist committee chaired by Mr. Yasantha Kodagoda, Supreme Court Judge and President’s Advocate, to study and report on the introduction of a new law for the establishment of a Public Prosecutor’s Office office and to forward recommendations for the introduction of necessary amendments to the existing laws when required.

[The current election manifesto has proposed to introduce a Public Prosecutor’s Office as a mechanism to prevent delays in the judicial system, to establish an independent public prosecutor’s office outside the Attorney General’s Department to hear cases on behalf of the government, and to establish sub-offices in the provinces.

Thereby, it is expected to enhance the independence and the transparency of the criminal justice system and to expedite the criminal justice process so as to increase the reliability of the people. The final report that was presented by the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights on Sri Lanka in September 2024 had suggested that the establishment of an independent prosecutorial authority be considered as an urgent requirement]