News
SC faults RW for eviction of Galle Face protesters
Justice Obeysekara disagrees
The Supreme Court, in a 2-1 decision, yesterday (23) declared the then President Ranil Wickremesinghe had violated fundamental rights by ordering the military to disperse protesters on 17 July, 2022, from Galle Face, in terms of the Emergency Regulations under the Public Security Act.
Wickremesinghe called in the military after his predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country on 13 July as violent mobs stormed and captured the President’s House. Outgoing Chief Justice Murdu Fernando and Justice Yasantha Kodagoda held that the Emergency Regulations promulgated by the then Acting President, under Section 2 of the Public Security Act, had been arbitrary, and therefore, invalid.
However, Justice Arjuna Obeysekara, disagreed, stating that the declaration of Emergency Regulations by the Acting President had not constituted a violation of fundamental rights.
The fundamental rights petitions were filed by the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), former Commissioner of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) Attorney-at-Law Ambika Satkunanathan, and the Liberal Youth Movement.
The Court ordered the government to bear the legal costs incurred by the petitioners.
A discussion with the Catholic Council was held on Thursday (21) afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat under the co-chairmanship of Minister of Science and Technology, Chrishantha Abeysena and Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.
Discussions focused on administrative issues relating to Catholic schools taken over by the Government, the formulation of a structured teacher cadre system for Catholic religious education, the need to recruit Catholic nuns and priests into the teaching profession and the establishment of a mechanism to obtain the support of the Ministry of Education for the administration of Government-acquired Catholic schools.
It was also decided that discussions with the Catholic Council would be held three times annually, while Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage would serve as Secretary to the forum.
Expressing appreciation on behalf of the Catholic Council, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith thanked President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Government for facilitating the discussion.
His Eminence further stated that the expectation was to ensure every student, without discrimination, is given the opportunity to learn his or her own religion and stressed the importance of resolving the prevailing issues within the education sector.
Also present at the occasion were Most Rev. Bishop Harold Anthony Perera, Most Rev. Bishop Christy Noel Emmanuel, Most Rev. Bishop Anton Ranjith, Most Rev. Bishop Wimal Siri Jayasuriya, other clergy representing the Catholic Council, Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Nalaka Kaluwewa and senior officials of the Ministry of Education.
(PMD)
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided to broaden the Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy, which was launched last year. Unlike the inaugural edition held in November 2025 that featured eight Associate teams, the second edition will comprise 10 teams, including five Test-playing nations. The tournament is scheduled to be held in November this year.
Italian Navy’s ITS GIOVANNI DELLE BANDE NERE, which arrived in Colombo (21 May 2026) on a replenishment visit, departed the island today (22 May).
The Sri Lanka Navy bade a customary farewell to the departing ship in compliance with naval traditions at the port of Colombo.
During her brief stay in Colombo, the Commanding Officer of the ship, Commander Antonio BUFIS called on the Commander Western Naval Area at the Western Naval Command Headquarters.
Catholic Council reconvenes after nine years
ICC to widen Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy
Italian Navy’s ITS GIOVANNI DELLE BANDE NERE departs following replenishment visit
PM meets Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations
Tennessee execution called off after failed lethal injection
Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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