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.”
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Iran has sought the Indian intervention, at the highest level, to provide lifesaving support to the crews of empty Iranian vessels stranded just outside Sri Lanka’s 12-nautical mile territorial waters off Galle.
Sources familiar with the issue said that Iran had brought the developing situation to the attention of New Delhi as the crews of almost 20 vessels, included Indian nationals. Sources stressed that the group of vessels that unloaded crude oil a couple of months back were now stranded within Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The US Navy torpedoed an unarmed Iran frigate, returning from India, on 04 March, 2026, about 19 nautical miles off the Galle coast. The unprovoked attack killed nearly 100 Iranians.
The Iranian Embassy in Colombo has inquired from the Indian High Commission of their response to the situation, sources said. The US has issued a global warning against providing food, water, medicine and other services to the Iranian vessels. The outcome of Iran-India talks on the issue at hand was not known, though sources asserted India may not throw its weight behind Iranian efforts to address the issue.
Responding to The Island queries, sources said both Sri Lanka and India were in a dilemma due to the US warning. India couldn’t ignore the plight of the Indian crew members and the Iranian vessels in its backyard.
The Sri Lankan government remains tight-lipped about the vessels stranded in its EEZ. Our efforts to elicit a response from relevant authorities were in vain. In addition to Indians, there are Bangladeshis among the crew members. Iran has explicitly stated the responsibilities of the countries concerned to provide assistance in terms of international law.
The Iranian position was articulated by its Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Dr.Alireza Delkhosh, recently. In a special statement, Ambassador Delkhosh emphasised that in terms of the Convention on the Law of the Sea (Article 98) as well as SOLAS and SAR
Conventions, Sri Lanka couldn’t refrain from providing the needs of the Iranian vessels stranded in its EEZ.
SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem lambasted the NPP government in Parliament for failing to provide assistance to the Iranian ships. The former Minister alleged that the government was simply carrying out dictates of the US. He strongly criticised the way Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath was handling the issue.
MP Namal Rajapaksa, who is in remand custody over the controversial Airbus deal, was further remanded until October 27 by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court yesterday (13).
Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama made the order after considering submissions by officers of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption and lawyers representing Rajapaksa.
Sri Lanka’s economy is expected to sustain its recovery over the next two years, although growth is projected to moderate amid mounting global uncertainties, according to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) latest World Economic Outlook.
In its World Economic Outlook 2026: Resilience Under Strain, Urgent Choices, the IMF projects Sri Lanka’s economy to expand by 4% in 2026, slowing to 3.7% in 2027, following estimated growth of 5% in 2025.
Inflation, meanwhile, is forecast to rise to 5.3% in 2026 and 5.4% in 2027, reversing the average deflation rate of 0.5% recorded in 2025.
Unemployment is expected to remain steady at 3.9% throughout the forecast period.
The projections come amid growing pressure on the global economy from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, elevated energy prices, geopolitical tensions and trade disruptions.
Sri Lanka’s external position is also expected to weaken, with the current account balance projected to shift from a surplus of 1.6% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2025 to deficits of 0.5% in 2026 and 0.3% in 2027.
The IMF’s outlook points to continued economic expansion in Sri Lanka, but with slower growth, rising inflation and a narrowing external surplus giving way to current account deficits over the forecast period.
Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Central, and North-western provinces and in Anuradhapura district.
Sri Lanka, India caught in US-Iran ship crisis
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IMF projects Lankan economic growth to moderate amidst mounting global uncertainties
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