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Poll monitors believe SLPP should abide by AG’s advice

Published

6 years ago

2020/09/3

Sahan Weerasooriya

MP-elect on death row

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Polls Monitoring groups-PAFFREL (People’s Action for Free and Fair Election) and CMEV (Centre for Monitoring Election Violence) yesterday (2) said that the government would have to abide by the instructions issued by Attorney General Dappula de Livera in respect of MP elect Premalal Jayasekera sentenced to death over a killing in Kahawatte, Ratnapura, in January 2015.

The AG has informed the Secretary to the Justice Ministry and the Secretary General of Parliament of Jayasekera being disqualified to serve as a member of parliament and also to exercise his franchise.

Acknowledging that the SLPP Ratnapura candidate had received the second highest number of preferences at the August general election, PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi and CMEV National Coordinator and Researcher Manjula Gajanayake pointed out that the Attorney General expressed his opinion after the Secretary to the Justice Ministry sought his advice.

Premalal Jayasekera polled over 140,000 preference votes. Pavitradevi Vanniarachchi obtained over 200,000 votes the highest preference there by a candidate representing any contesting party.

Both Hettiarachchi and Gajanayake emphasized that it was no longer a political issue

Secretary to the Justice Ministry sought the AG’s advice in the wake of the Commissioner General of Prisons seeking advice regarding Jayasekera being allowed to attend the inauguration of parliament on August 20.

Hettiarachchi said that the authorities quite rightly refrained from taking Jayasekera to parliament on August 20 though the convict’s family received an invitation to attend the inauguration from the Office of the Secretary General of Parliament.

Responding to another query, Hettiarachchi, who is also the Convenor of March 12 Movement said that he couldn’t comment on behalf the civil society groups though the PAFFREL strongly opposed any political party or a lawmaker challenging the AG’s stand. There couldn’t be any dispute over the AG’s advice, Hettiarachchi stressed, urging all those responsible to review the situation.

According to the AG’s Department as a result of Jayasekera appealing against the Ratnapura High Court ruling, only the death sentence had been suspended pending the Court of Appeal case.

Hettiarachchi pointed out that in the wake Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara challenging the AG’s competence, the government sought the AG’s opinion on the 20th Amendment to the Constitution.

Addressing the media on Monday (31), veteran lawyer Nanayakkara said that the AG couldn’t decide on Jayasekera’s fate as it was the responsibility of the parliament.

Manjula Gajanayake said that Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara’s dismissal of the AG’s opinion as regards Jayasekera’ eligibility sent a wrong signal to other members of the SLPP parliamentary group as well as the public. Gajanayake said that Nanayakkara couldn’t have been unaware of the constitutional provision as regards convicted persons.

Responding to another query, Gajanayake alleged that during the general election campaign in Ratnapura Vasudeva Nanayakkara repeatedly assured the electorate that he would stand by Premalal Jayasekera. Gajanayake said that the CMEV and other monitoring groups observed Nanayakkara’s campaign throughout that period.

Nanayakkara of the Democratic Left Front (DLF) contested on the SLPP ticket.

Former CAFFE (Campaign for Free and Fair Election) Executive Director Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon told The Island that there were three previous examples regarding convicted persons being denied the opportunity to attend Provincial Council and Parliamentary sessions. Tennakoon said that former Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council member Hasitha Muhandiramge’s convicted over 1999 double murder case and General Sarath Fonseka were prevented from attending Sabaragamuwa PC and parliament, respectively.

Tennakoon said that the ruling SLPP would have to pick Sunny Rohana or Ranjith Bandara who polled 53,261 each in place of Premalal Jayasekera. As both SLPPers had polled equal number of preferential votes, the Election Commission (EC) would have to decide the replacement on toss of a coin.

Tennakoon said that a decision would have to be made before Parliament meets again on Sept 8. So far, the 9th parliament met twice on Aug 20 and 21.

Authoritative sources told The Island that the three-member EC hadn’t discussed the issue formally though it came up. The EC consists of Mahinda Deshapriya (Chairman), Prof. Ratnajeevan Hoole and Nalin Abeysekera PC. Sources said that the EC was scheduled to meet him on coming Friday and Saturday. “We have not met as a Commission on this although it came up informally. We meet next on the 4th evening and 5th”, an EC member said.

Asked whether this could cause a dispute between the government and the AG’s department, sources said that the law was clear in this regard. Perhaps the parliament could intervene only by enacting new laws and backdating them, sources said.

CAFFE Executive Director Ahamed Manas Makeen faulted the Ratnapura electorate for voting for Premalal Jayasekera in spite of knowing he was convicted for the Kahawatte killing. Makeen also questioned the SLPP accommodating the former Deputy Minister on its Ratnapura nominations list regardless of the pending verdict.

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Sun directly overhead Cheddikulam, Kebithigollewa, Gomarankadawala and Nilaveli about 12:11 noon. today [12]

Published

2 mins ago

2026/04/12

Priyan

On the apparent northward relative motion of the sun, it is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 05th to 15th of April in this year.

The nearest areas of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (12th) are Cheddikulam, Kebithigollewa, Gomarankadawala and Nilaveli about 12:11 noon.

News

CEB orders temporary shutdown of large rooftop solar systems

Published

13 mins ago

2026/04/12

Thilina Walpola

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has directed owners of large-scale rooftop solar systems to temporarily disconnect their installations for a 10-day period beginning from Friday (April 10), citing growing concerns over grid stability amid low electricity demand and high solar generation.

The directive applies to rooftop solar systems exceeding 300 kW capacity, which are required to remain switched off until April 20. The move coincides with the extended holiday season, during which national electricity demand typically declines, alongside prevailing sunny weather conditions that significantly increase solar output.

Senior electrical engineers told The Island that the decision, though exceptional, was necessitated by operational risks posed to the national grid.

“We are seeing a pronounced imbalance between supply and demand,” a senior CEB system control engineer said. “With industries and commercial establishments operating at reduced levels during the holidays, demand drops. At the same time, solar generation remains high, creating excess power that the grid struggles to absorb.”

He explained that such imbalances could lead to fluctuations in system frequency, potentially threatening the stability of the grid. “If generation exceeds demand, frequency rises beyond acceptable limits.

This can trigger automatic protection mechanisms or, in extreme cases, lead to partial outages.”Another senior engineer attached to the transmission division noted that managing distributed solar generation remains a technical challenge.

“Unlike conventional power plants, rooftop solar systems are not centrally dispatchable. We cannot directly control their output in real time. This limits our ability to balance the system during periods of excess generation,” he said.

He added that the country’s grid infrastructure is still adapting to the rapid growth of renewable energy. “We lack sufficient large-scale battery storage and advanced grid management systems to effectively handle these fluctuations. Until such capabilities are enhanced, temporary curtailment becomes necessary.”

Engineers also pointed out that conventional thermal plants cannot be abruptly shut down or adjusted to compensate for sudden surges in solar generation.

“These plants require minimum stable operating levels. When solar floods the grid during low demand, it creates operational constraints that are not easy to manage,” one official said.

The CEB, in its statement, expressed appreciation for the cooperation of solar system owners affected by the measure, stressing that it is a short-term intervention aimed at ensuring uninterrupted and stable electricity supply across the country.

Energy experts say the development underscores the urgent need for grid modernization, including investment in battery energy storage systems, smart grid technologies, and improved demand-side management.

“This is part of the transition challenge,” an independent analyst noted. “As solar penetration increases, the grid must evolve to become more flexible. Otherwise, curtailment will remain a recurring necessity.”

Despite the temporary shutdown, CEB engineers reaffirmed their commitment to expanding renewable energy.

“Solar power is a key pillar of Sri Lanka’s future energy mix,” a senior engineer said. “But integration must be carefully managed. Grid stability cannot be compromised.”

The temporary disconnection order, which took effect yesterday, marks a critical moment in Sri Lanka’s energy transition—highlighting both the progress made in renewable energy adoption and the technical hurdles that remain.

By Ifham Nizam

News

Cost of Sinhala-Tamil New Year ‘Kevili Table’ up 7% in 2026 – DCS Data

Published

14 mins ago

2026/04/12

Thilina Walpola

The cost of preparing a traditional kevili table for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year has risen by 7 per cent in 2026 compared to 2025, according to price data compiled by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS).

The estimate is based on Open Market Weekly Average Retail Prices in the Colombo District for April 2019 (Week 1), March 2025 (Week 3), and March 2026 (Week 4).

A kevili table, a customary feature of New Year celebrations in Sri Lanka, consists of an assortment of traditional sweetmeats symbolising prosperity and goodwill.

According to the data, prices increased for six of the eight items included in the basket in 2026. The sharpest rise was recorded in aluwa, which surged by 25.8 per cent, driven by a 43.6 per cent increase in cashew prices.

In contrast, the steepest decline was seen in milk rice, which fell by 14.1 per cent, largely due to a 17.5 per cent drop in coconut prices from the elevated levels recorded in 2025.

Overall, the increase in the cost of the 2026 kevili table was mainly driven by higher prices of coconut oil and rice flour, which together accounted for nearly 80 per cent of the total rise.Compared with the pre-crisis year of 2019, the cost of a kevili table has more than doubled, increasing by around 2.5 times in 2026, the data showed.