News
Owner of collapsed Kandy building remanded
BY CYRIL WIMALASRENDRE
KANDY –
Anura Lewke, the owner of the five-storey building that collapsed on a house in the neighbourhood burying three persons alive was further remanded till October 27 by the Kandy Additional Magistrate Sampath Gamage on Tuesday 13.
Judge Gamage refusing bail sought by the lawyers of Lewke ordered police to investigate the incident further and submit to the court all documents related to the construction of the building.
Attorneys-at-law Maithri Gunaratne, PC and Nanda Senanayake appearing for Lewke pleaded that their client be granted any bail as the police had not yet charged him although they had earlier said that he would be charged under section 298 of the Penal Code.
Senior counsel for the team of lawyers watching the interest of the aggrieved party, objecting to bail, told court that the owner of the building had obtained approval for two floors only but built five floors.
Chief Inspector M.G.S. Bandera investigating into the tragedy said that police were proceeding with investigations and those recordings of CCTV cameras in the location of the disaster had been erased.
Sergeant Bandara assisted CI M.G.S. Bandara.
A large number of lawyers including members of the Kandy Bar Association appeared for the aggrieved party. Among them were President of the Kandy Bar Association P. K. Abeyratne, Secretary Bandara Karunanayake and Dhammika Ariyadasa.
News
Amendment of the Inland Revenue Act No. 24 of 2017
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers has been granted at their meeting held on 19.05.2025 in order to introduce amendments to the Inland Revenue Act No. 24 of 2017 including the proposed tax revisions to enhance the tax structure paving way for state financial integrity based on revenue.
Accordingly, the revised draft bill has been prepared by the legal draftsman and clearance of the Attorney General has been received.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval for
the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Policy Planning and Economic Development to publish the aforementioned draft bill in the government gazette notification and subsequently, forward the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.
News
Cabinet nod for “National Mineral Policy” – 2026
The National Mineral Policy was prepared for the first time in the year 1999, and the aforementioned policy has been amended in 2023 to cover matters such as preparing an updated data system related to mineral resources, adding value to the export of minerals, encouraging mineral-related industrialists, extracting mineral resources and managing the environment sustainably, and resolving the issues related to the ownership of the land arising in extracting mineral resources.
The revised National Mineral Policy has been reupdated in line with the manifesto “A Sustainable Resource Utilization – Generation of the Highest Benefit” under the policy statement of the current government” A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life.”
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution presented by the Minister of Industries and
Entrepreneurship to implement the so-formulated “National Mineral Policy—2026.”
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