According to the decision arrived at the Committee on Parliamentary Business, a 13-member committee has been nominated, chaired by  the Deputy Chairperson of Committees, tasked with providing leadership and overseeing the implementation of actions assigned to the Parliament under the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan 2025–2029.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business held on September 25, 2026.

The nominated Members of Parliament are: Harshana Nanayakkara, Sunil Watagala, Kaushalya Ariyarathna, J. C. Alawathuwala, Anuradha Jayaratne, Shanakiyan Rasamanickam, Oshani Umanga, Prageeth Madhuranga, Chandima Hettiaratchi, Darmapriya Wijesinghe, Dewananda Suraweera and M. Nizam Kariapper.

by SK Samaranayake

Central Province Governor Dr. Suranga Fernando has suspended the functions of the SJB-controlled Pathahewaheta Pradeshiya Sabha, in Kandy, with effect from October 19.

Under an Extraordinary Gazette issued on October 19, the Governor directed Kandy District Assistant Commissioner of Local Government A.W.G.L. Attanayake to exercise the powers and perform the duties of the Pradeshiya Sabha and its chairman.

The move follows the appointment of retired judicial officer Nihal Sunil Rajapaksha to inquire into whether the chairman, vice chairman and other members of the local authority had committed offences under Section 185(1) of the Pradeshiya Sabha Act.

The inquiry was ordered under an Extraordinary Gazette issued on September 22.

The latest directive was issued under Section 185(3)(a)(iii) of the Pradeshiya Sabha Act, read with the Provincial Councils (Consequential Provisions) Act.

The Gazette does not disclose the findings of the inquiry or specify any allegations against individual Council members.

NDF MP Ravi Karunanayake yesterday called for a detailed explanation of the nationwide power failure on October 17, including the cause of the breakdown, accountability for the failure and measures to prevent a recurrence.

Raising the matter in Parliament, under Standing Order 27.2, Karunanayake questioned Power and Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody on the circumstances that led to the blackout, which followed a similar islandwide outage on February 9, 2025.

Karunanayake asked the government to disclose the initiating fault, its location and time, and explain what occurred at Kotmale, what precautions were taken and how the incident led to the collapse of the national grid.

He also sought the tabling of time-stamped records relating to electricity generation, demand, frequency, voltage and protection systems, and questioned why safeguards had failed to contain the disturbance.

Referring to the National System Operator’s statement that no generating plant had broken down, Karunanayake asked whether the shutdown of the Norochcholai Power Plant was a cause or consequence of the blackout. He also sought operational records and independent coal-quality tests to address allegations concerning substandard coal.

He questioned the Government on the implementation of recommendations and regulatory directions issued following the February 2025 blackout and asked which measures remained outstanding and why.

Karunanayake also sought details of the time taken to reconnect transmission substations and consumers, the reasons for repeated interruptions in some areas and measures taken to protect hospitals, water treatment facilities and telecommunications services.

He asked for details of solar power generation, total electricity demand and available reserves before the collapse, and questioned why rooftop solar systems had been disconnected.

The MP also raised concerns over renewable energy tariffs and compensation payable to renewable power producers for curtailment under a September 10, 2026 decision of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL).

He asked the government to disclose the energy volumes and compensation payments due, paid and outstanding, and when arrears would be settled.

Karunanayake further called for enforceable service standards and a compensation mechanism for consumers affected by power interruptions, voltage surges and damage to electrical equipment.

He sought separate estimates of the losses incurred by the National System Operator and consumers as a result of the October 17 and February 9 blackouts, together with the methodologies used to calculate them.

He also asked for details of grid-connected battery energy storage systems (BESS), including their locations, commissioning dates and MW/MWh capacities, and how they had addressed deficiencies in firm generation.

Finally, Karunanayake called for the Government to table a time-bound corrective programme identifying the institutions responsible, funding requirements and measurable targets, and to report progress to Parliament.