News
Refusal of funds for LG polls: SJB to move SC against Treasury chief
The SJB yesterday (19) said that the Supreme Court (SC) would be moved against Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana for refusing funds for the conduct of the local government elections. A party spokesperson told The Island, on behalf of SJB General Secretary and MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara, that Attorney-at-Law Sampath Wijewardena had informed Siriwardena of his party’s decision.
The following is the text of Wijewardena’s letter to Siriwardana in respect of SC FR 69/2023:
“As you are aware the above case was taken up for support on the 3rd March 2023
wherein you the “Frist Respondent, were represented by Senior Additional Solicitor General Priyantha Nawanna, PC, before a bench of three Judges of the Supreme Court. After lengthy submissions of all counsel appearing for the Petitioner, the Election Commission and you as the Secretary to the Treasury, leave to proceed with the said application was granted and further it was ordered to grant and issue the interim orders as per prayers (i) & (j) of the Petition as referred to below: i) “issue an interim order, restraining and/or preventing the 01st and/or 02nd (i.e. Honourable Minister of Defence, Finance, Economic Stabilization, National Policies, Technology, Investment Promotion, Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment represented by the Honourable Attorney-General) Respondents and their servants and agents and any other state functionary from withholding any funds allocated by the Activity Budget Estimates for the fiscal year of 2023 and/or the Budget for the year 2023 for the purpose of conducting Local Government Polls 2023 until the final determination of this Application, subject to such terms, if any, as to Your Lordships ’Court sees fit; j) issue an interim order, restraining and/or preventing the 01st and/or 02nd (i.e. Honourable Minister of Defence, Finance, Economic Stabilization, National Policies, Technology, Investment Promotion, Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment represented by the Honourable Attorney-General) Respondents and their servants and agents and any other state functionary from withholding any funds allocated by the Activity Budget Estimates for the fiscal year of 2023 and/or the Budget for the year 2023 for the purpose of conducting Local Government Polls 2023, from the 08th Respondent, until the final determination of this Application, subject to such terms, if any”
“As I am instructed, consequent to the said orders the Election Commission has written to you on the 07th March 2023 with reference to the said interim orders issued in SC FR 69/2023, urging you to release funds for the holding of the Local Government Elections on a staggered basis commencing from the 14th March 2023 by releasing Rs 100 Million as the first installment.
“I am instructed that you have replied the said letter on the same day and informed the Election Commission that you are unable to release funds for the said Local Government Elections, due to a Cabinet Decision that has been taken on the 13.02.2023, and you have further informed that you have sought the approval of the Hon. Minister of Finance for the release of funds. Thereby, you have failed to release the first installment of Rs 100 Million that was due on the 14th March 2023.
“You are also aware that the second Respondent in the said case is the Hon. Attorney General representing the Hon. Minister of Finance and the interim orders as referred to above are applicable to the Hon. Minister of Finance as well.
“As I am instructed, you have filed an Affidavit through your Attorneys in SC FR 69/2023 and submitted to the Court the details relating to the said Cabinet Decision and thereby your inability to release funds for the holding of the Local Government Elections. The Counsel appearing on your behalf was heard exhaustively on this matter. The Learned Judges of the Supreme Court having heard all the submissions of all the parties issued the interim orders as referred to above. The Counsel appearing on your behalf took notice of the orders that were made in Court.
“Therefore, you are acting in manifest violation of the Orders of the Apex Court of the country and committed the offense of Contempt of the Supreme Court punishable under Article 105 of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.
“You are hereby notified that you will be charged for the offense of Contempt of Court. All rights of the Petitioner are hereby reserved.”
During an operation conducted in the dark hours of 22 Feb 26, the Sri Lanka Navy seized an Indian fishing boat and apprehended twelve (12) Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters, in the sea area south of Mannar.
The seized boat and the Indian fishermen were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Dikovita for onward legal proceedings.
FSL assures legal backing for them
Families of those sentenced to death by the Three-member Gampaha High Trial-at-Bar, over the killing of SLPP MP Amarakeerthi Atukorale, and his police bodyguard, met a senior official of the Presidential Secretariat, yesterday (23), to seek backing for their move to appeal against the verdict.
Having made representations, they addressed the media, outside the Presidential Secretariat, where they declared their intention to move the higher court against the decision.
The SLPP MP and his security officer were killed by an Aragalaya mob on 09 May, 2022, at Nittambuwa. The same day Aragalaya mobs unleashed violence against the then government MPs across the country, torching dozens of their properties.
The Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) yesterday said that they would help the families of those sentenced to death to move court against the Gampaha High Court Trial-at-Bar decision. Responding to The Island queries, FSP spokesman Pubudu Jayagoda said that their representatives had already met the families and necessary work was being done to move the Supreme Court. Twenty three persons were acquitted and four handed six-month prison terms, suspended for five years
Jayagoda said that one of the HC judges differed in the ruling. Asked whether they received backing from any other political party and groups that had been involved in the 2022 protest campaign to defend those who had been found guilty, Jayagoda said such support was lacking.
The JVP/NPP played a significant role in the violent protest campaign that forced President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to step down. Pointing out that the Attorney General, too, was appealing against the court decision on the basis that the number of persons sentenced to death should be much higher, Jayagoda said that the Nittambuwa incident couldn’t be examined in isolation without taking into consideration the SLPP goon attack on Galle Face protesters on 09 May, 2022. (SF)
Offshore Patrol Vessel P 628 of the Sri Lanka Navy departed Baltimore, USA, for Colombo, on 20 February.
The ex-United States Coast Guard Cutter, USCGC Decisive was officially handed over to the SLN on 02 December, 2025, as the latest addition to the SLN fleet, under the Pennant Number P 628.
Measuring 64 metres in length, this ‘B-Type Reliance Class 210-foot Cutter’ is equipped with advanced technological systems and facilities, capable of conducting extensive surveillance operations spanning up to 6,000 nautical miles per patrol.
The vessel’s voyage to Colombo is historic, possibly marking the longest-ever passage undertaken by a Sri Lanka Navy ship. Covering approximately 14,775 nautical miles, the journey will see the P 628 navigate from Baltimore through the Atlantic Ocean, the Panama Canal (a first for a Sri Lankan naval vessel), the Pacific Ocean, and into the Indian Ocean, via the Straits of Malacca. The ship is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka during the first week of May, 2026.
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Navy seize an Indian fishing boat poaching in Mannar seas
Fair weather will prevail except for showers in the Southern province and in Rathnapura, Monaragala and Kaluthara districts after 2.00 p.m
Families of those sentenced to death for killing MP Atukorale seek AKD’s intervention
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