News

Several hats in the ring but eventual two horse race?

Published

4 years ago

2022/07/17

Protesters celebrate the capturing of the Prime Minister’s Office in the Flower Road, Colombo on Wednesday.

Several hats will be thrown into the ring when parliament elects one of its members later this week as the new president to serve ex-President Gotabaya Rajapaksas balance term, political insiders said on Friday hours before this edition of the Sunday Island went to press.A political insider opined on Friday that despite various names being discussed, it would eventually be a two horse race between Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe and one other candidate. He said that discussions were ongoing on whether the opposition will run one or more candidates.

The breaking news on Friday was that the SLPP will back Ranil Wickremesinghe. SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam made the formal announcement on Friday evening.Parliament will meet on Saturday when former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s resignation and the vacancy arising as a consequence will be formally communicated. Thereafter nominations will be called, closing Tuesday with voting on Wednesday on the election of a successor if there is more than one candidate.

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) of the Rajapaksas will not be officially running a candidate at the poll which will be by secret ballot. This is widely interpreted in some quarters to suggest that this party, which with 145 seats commands the majority in the 225-member legislature, is likely to largely support acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe who will be a formidable runner despite his UNP having only one seat in the legislature.

“Ranil was able to remain prime minister in recent weeks thanks to the SLPP support he commands. Otherwise he would have been toppled by a no-confidence motion which wasn’t even attempted,” a political insider said. “But anything can happen in a secret ballot.”However over 40 MPs elected under the SLPP banner but belonging to mostly small parties took their seats in the opposition saying they will be “independent.” How they will vote is an open question. Most of them are unlikely to support Wickremesinghe.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa who, as deputy leader of the UNP under Ranil Wickremesinghe, ran against Gotabaya Rajapaksa clearly harbors presidential ambitions. SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekera went on record on Friday saying his party with 14 seats will back Premadasa for prime minister. SJB sources said they will field Premadasa for president.

This was after Wickremesinghe, appointed acting president hours before Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country, called on the Speaker to name a lawmaker commanding the most support in the legislature to be invited to be prime minister and form a government.

It was unclear as this was being written whether a new prime minister and a government will be appointed when the election of a new president within days was imminent.

Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, appointed to parliament on the SJB National list, and serving as its chairman, has expressed willingness to serve as president. He said on Wednesday that he had not communicated this to Premadasa claiming there was no obligation to do so.

MP Dallas Alahapperuma has been frequently mentioned aa favored SLPPer for leadership position. He has been a longtime Rajapaksa loyalist. There was no word on whom the Rajapaksas favor to succeed GR. But there have been allegations that Wickremesinghe, as prime minister of the previous yahapalana government dragged his feet on using the might of the state against the Rajapaksas.

There was unconfirmed speculation that Wickremesinghe and the Rajapaksas are in discussion. Basil Rajapaksa, the national organizer and founder of the SLPP, is considered that party’s eminence grise and is expected to be a vital player in ongoing maneuvering.

“Several candidates will mean a divided vote that will influence the eventual outcome,” a political insider said.

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News

Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations

Published

13 mins ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

Suresh Sallay

The government has chosen not to respond to questions raised by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) regarding the detention of retired Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the ex-official in late February this year. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers have jointly raised the issue on 20 July, 2026.

Drawing attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to what they called alleged arbitrary detention of Sallay, former Director General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), as well as allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment while in custody, resulting in the grave deterioration of his health, and imminent risks of retaliation through further torture and ill-treatment resulting in irreparable harm, should he be released from hospital and returned to custody, the UN sought the government explanation with a 60-day period.

The UN has stated: “This communication, and any response received from your Excellency’s Government, will be made public via the communications reporting website at the 60 days mark. Should your Excellency’s Government respond within 60 days, both the communication and the response, may be published before the 60 days mark. The communications and responses

will also be made available in the subsequent periodic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council.”

In the absence of the government’s response, the UN posted the letter, dated 20 July, 2026, addressed to President Dissanayake. The full letter can be accessed https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=31125

News

Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area

Published

14 mins ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

The Army, last week, vacated an area, within the wartime high security zone in the Jaffna peninsula. The Defence Ministry said that an extent of 187.56 acres of land, belonging to the Cement Corporation in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, has been released by the military. The released land, located in Grama Niladhari Division J/233, Kankesanthurai West, within the Valikamam North (Tellippalai) Divisional Secretariat Division, had been utilised by the Sri Lanka Army since the middle of 1997.

The release of the 187.56-acre extent forms part of the initiative to make State land available for the proposed investment zone in Kankesanthurai, thereby facilitating future investment and economic development in the area.

News

Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.

Published

15 mins ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

A complaint has been lodged with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau against the Government Printer and the Secretary to the Ministry of Media regarding the online release of falsified documents bearing a forged Speaker’s certificate.

Attorney-at-Law Aruna Laksiri has lodged a complaint with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau requesting legal action against the Government Printer of the Department of Government Printing (No. 118, Dr. Danister de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 08), Prasanna Jayaratne, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media (Asidisi Medura, 163, Kirulapone Mawatha, Polhengoda, Colombo 05), Dr. Anil Jasinghe.

The complaint alleges the commission of offences by forging and uploading falsified documents online using a forged Speaker’s certification, failure to perform statutory duties, and misappropriation of public property.

The complaint states that a copy of the English translation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was downloaded and printed from the official website of the Government Printing Department (www.documents.gov.lk), which operates under the Ministry of Mass Media. On its outer cover and on page 1, the text “certified on 25th of September, 2026” is inscribed inside brackets.

The complaint pointed out that the Speaker has certified an English translation. Under Articles 23, 79, 83, and 80 of the Constitution, Parliament enacts laws and the Speaker certifies bills strictly in the Sinhala and Tamil languages; under the Constitution, therefore the Speaker cannot apply such certification to an English translation.