News
SC moved against appointment of Tennakoon as Acting IGP

Court requested to prevent his elevation to post of police chief
By A.J.A. Abeynayake
Four persons, including the Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, filed separate petitions in the Supreme Court yesterday (29) against the appointment of Deshabandu Tennakoon as the Acting IGP.
The other petitioners are three victims of the Easter Sunday carnage, representatives for Lawyers for Truth and Justice, and a person who was wounded when Rajapaksa supporters attacked the anti-government protesters at Galle Face in May 2022.
The petitioners have requested the Supreme Court to quash the appointment of Tennakoon as the acting IGP and to prevent him from being made the IGP.
The petitioners have said the IGP has wide ranging powers to preserve law and order, ensure the prevention of crime and investigate complaints made by citizens. Only a just and clean individual, who is also humane, must be made the IGP, the petitioners have said, claiming that a presidential commission of inquiries that probed the Easter Sunday attacks found serious negligence and or lapses on the part of numerous public officials, and officials serving in the Sri Lanka Police, including Tennakoon, and recommended taking disciplinary action against them.
The petitioners have also said that Tennakoon, who had under him enough police personnel and could use emergency regulations, failed to prevent a mob from attacking unarmed citizens at the Galle Face Green in front of the Presidential Secretariat on 09 May 2022. They claim Tennakoon was present near the Presidential Secretariat when the incident occurred. The attack triggered widespread retaliatory violence, especially in the Western Province, which was under SDIG Tennakoon.
The petitioners have said that on 14 December 2023, the Supreme Court ordered Tennakoon to pay Rs. 500,000 rupees as compensation for violating the fundamental rights of a person.
Such an individual is not eligible to function as the Acting IGP or to be appointed as IGP subsequently. The Attorney General and members of the Constitutional Council, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana, PM Dinesh Gunawardena, Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Kabir Hashim Sagara Kariyawasam, Prathap Ramanujam, Dr. Dilkushi Anula Wijesundere and Dr. Dinesha Samararatne have been cited as respondents.
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Heat index is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Eastern and North-central provinces and Monaragala, Hambantota, Jaffna, Mullaittivu, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Kurunegala districts

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology at 3.30 p.m. 26 April 2025, valid for 27 April 2025.
The public are warned that the Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Eastern and North-central provinces and Monaragala, Hambantota, Jaffna, Mullaittivu, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Kurunegala districts.
The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.
Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.
ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated. Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.
Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.
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Minister of Foreign Affairs pays his last respects to Pope Francis

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath represented Sri Lanka at the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday [26]
News
RW to visit CIABOC on Monday

Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe will appear before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC) tomorrow (28) over the statement he had made on MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake, his lawyers have informed the Commission.
Accordingly, the former President will appear before the commission at 9.30am on Monday.
Wickremesinghe was initially summoned by the Commission to CIABOC on April 17 in relation to a statement he had made about the corruption case filed against NDF (gas cylinder) MP Dassanayake.
In response to the previous summons, Wickremesinghe had indicated that he is prepared to appear before the commission but requested a different date citing that his lawyers will not be available in Colombo during the New Year holiday period.
Accordingly, a new was provided and Wickremesinghe requested to appear before the commission at 09.30 a.m. on Thursday (April 25).On April 7, Wickremesinghe had said that MP Dassanayake withdrew the fixed deposits belonging to the Uva Provincial Council, over which he is now facing corruption charges, in accordance with a circular issued during Wickremesingher’s tenure as Prime Minister.
The former President questioned whether the MP’s arrest over the matter was in response to Dassanayake’s vocal criticism of the government in parliament.
The sitting MP is currently in remand custody for allegedly misappropriating a sum of Rs. 1 million of the Uva Provincial Council in 2016.
He was taken into custody on March 27, over three separate corruption-related cases.
The Colombo Magistrate’s Court previously granted bail in the cases filed against him but he remains in remand custody due to an order issued by the Badulla Magistrate’s Court.
According to the CIABOC, Dassanayake had solicited funds from three state banks, claiming they were intended to provide bags for preschool children in the province.
Two banks complied, granting him Rs. 1 million and Rs. 2.5 million, which were later transferred to his foundation account.
However, when a third bank refused to provide funds, Dassanayake reportedly retaliated by withdrawing the Uva Provincial Council’s fixed deposits from that institution.The CIABOC filed a case against the MP, citing the government incurred a financial loss of Rs. 17.3 million due to his actions.
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