News

Sajith says constitutional draft Bill lacks teeth to clip president’s wings

Published

4 years ago

2022/06/26

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa says that the government’s draft Bill to amend the constitution has no provisions to curtail the powers of the incumbent President.

Addressing a party activists’ meeting on Thursday Premadasa rejected claims by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe that the 21st Amendment would be delayed as the SJB and the NPP were boycotting Parliament.

“The constitutional reforms will come to effect only when the term of the present President comes to an end. This President will have all powers, including the powers to dismiss the Prime Minister. This is similar to what former President Chandrika Kumaratunga proposed in 2000. Her reforms were seen as good and acceptable. We are going to face a similar situation,” Premadasa said.

The Prime Minister, during a statement to Parliament on Tuesday, said that Cabinet approval has been given to the 21st Amendment and all parties must come to an agreement on the proposals put forward and present the final draft Bill to Parliament.

“However, it is unfortunate that the process will be delayed due to the boycott of Parliament by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya and the National People’s Power Party,” the Prime Minister said.

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M/s South Asian Technologies awarded contract to supply vehicle number plates

Published

8 hours ago

2026/01/6

Priyan

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban Development to award the contract for printing and supplying vehicle number plates for the Department of Motor Traffic for a period of five (5) years to M/s South Asian Technologies based on the recommendations of the High-Level Standing Procurement Committee and the Procurement Appeal Board.

News

A new act for National Lotteries Board to be introduced

Published

9 hours ago

2026/01/6

Priyan

The National Lotteries board has been established subject to the Finance Act No. 11 of 1963. Having identified the requirement of amending that act which was imposed around 62 years to cater the current requirements of the lottery market, the Cabinet of Mnisters at their meeting held on 14.02.2017 granted approval to draft a new bill for the purpose.

Accordingly, the National Lotteries Board has recognized further amendments to be performed to the fundamental draft bill prepared by the Legal Draftsmen.

Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval for the
resolution furnished by the President in his office as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to direct the Legal Draftsmen to finalize the formulation of the draft bill for the National Lotteries Board as soon as possible including the proposed new amendments as well.

News

Motor Vehicles (Driving License Levy) Regulations No. 3 of 2022 to be amended

Published

10 hours ago

2026/01/6

Priyan

The Werahara office of the Department of Motor Traffic performs issuance of temporary driving licenses in this country based on the driving licenses issued overseas, and measures have been initiated to render the service from a service window of the Department of Motor Traffic established at the Bandaranayake International Airport from 03.08.2025.

The fees charged for issuing temporary driving licenses have been published in Motor Vehicles (Driving License Levy) Regulations No. 3 of 2022 prepared under the provisions of the Motor Traffic (Authority 203) Act.

But, as the fee of Rupees 2,000/- charged for the service is not sufficient, the requirement of amending the regulations has been recognized.

The regulations for introducing the revised fees have been published in the government extraordinary gazette
notification No. 2463/04 dated 17.11.2025. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development to
submit the regulations to the Parliament for its concurrence.