by Saman Indrajith

The Supreme Court has determined that three clauses of the Bill, titled the Chartered Institute of Media Professionals of Sri Lanka, are inconsistent with the Constitution, Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne told Parliament yesterday (08).

The determination was made in response to a constitutional challenge under Article 121(1).

The Court held that Clause 3(1) is vague and inconsistent with Articles 12(1) and 14(1)(g) of the Constitution. It can therefore be passed only with the special majority required under Article 84(2), unless the clause is deleted.

Clause 4(o) was also found to be inconsistent with Articles 12(1) and 14(1)(g). It would require a special majority unless amended in accordance with the changes proposed by the Court.

The Court further ruled that Clause 5(4)(b) is inconsistent with Article 12(1) and may be passed only with the special majority stipulated in Article 84(2). The inconsistency would cease if the clause is amended as directed by the Court.

The remaining provisions of the Bill were found to be consistent with the Constitution.

Speaker Wickramaratne subsequently directed that the full Supreme Court determination be printed in the Official Report of Parliament.

The Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) Secretary Senior Lecturer Charudatta Ilangasinghe said that the government should give priority to maintaining and further improving the existing 17 State Universities.

He said so responding to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s recent declaration, at a NPP rally at Bulathsinhala, that 50 State-run Universities would be established. Ilangasinghe said that FUTA had decided to launch a one-day strike today (09) to highlight the difficulties experienced by the Universities due to shortage of academic staff, non-academic staff and dearth of resources.

Ilangasinghe said the union had been engaged in trade union action throughout the past week to draw the attention of the government.

Hambantota:

NYK’s Azalea Leader, a new-generation LNG dual-fuel Pure Car and Truck Carrier (PCTC), made its maiden call at Hambantota International Port (HIP) recently, marking another significant development in the Port’s growing role as a regional automotive transhipment gateway.

Built in 2026 and sailing under the Liberian flag, the nearly 200-metre Azalea Leader arrived at HIP from Singapore, carrying 4,810 vehicles for transhipment and another 47 units for local discharge. The vessel has a maximum carrying capacity of 7,000 units and is among the latest generation of vehicle carriers entering service globally.

NYK operates regular services connecting Singapore and Hambantota, with Azalea Leader assigned to the route for this voyage. Its call comes as vehicle volumes, routed through Hambantota to markets in the Middle East, have grown significantly, reinforcing the Port’s strategic position connecting automotive supply chains across Asia and the Middle East. The vessel also represents the shipping industry’s transition towards more efficient and lower-emission tonnage. Azalea Leader is powered by LNG dual-fuel technology and incorporates Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) technology on its main engine to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.

“The maiden call of Azalea Leader is significant because we are increasingly seeing shipping lines deploy their newest and most sophisticated vessels through Hambantota,” said HIPG CEO Wilson Qu. “It demonstrates the pivotal role HIP is developing in the regional RoRo sector and showcases the potential of the Port as automotive volumes moving through Hambantota continue to grow.”

The CEO added that handling vessels of this generation also demonstrates the operational capabilities HIP has developed. “Customers need the assurance that a sophisticated vessel will be handled efficiently, safely and without unnecessary idle time. The confidence to bring modern tonnage such as Azalea Leader to HIP reflects the capability of our people, systems and infrastructure in meeting those expectations.”