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SJB renews demand for elections, Sajith says ready for “litmus test”

Published

4 years ago

2022/12/18

ECONOMYNEXT —At its second annual party convention, Sri Lanka’s main opposition party the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) renewed its calls for any election while formally adopting a resolution to demand a local government election, with party leader Sajith Premadasa expressing confidence that his party is ready for a litmus test.

Speaking at the SJB’s annual convention on Sunday December 11, Premadasa said the party rejects extreme forms of both capitalism and socialism and follows a centrist path instead with a ‘Sri Lanka First’ vision to develop the country.

“We want an election. We’re ready to face an election. Those of you who work within the confines of air conditioned rooms and palace intrigue, try and destroy the SJB in an election. The SJB and our parliamentary group are ready to take on that challenge,” he said.

The SJB is home to the only team sans corruption or deceit that can bring Sri Lanka out of its ongoing currency crisis, he said, a claim contested by the SJB’s critics who say there are people with various allegations among its fold.

“Our vision is Sri Lanka First, to take the country to the top of the world.

“We reject the extremist capitalism that was standard practice in this country. We reject extreme socialism. We follow a middle path,” he said.

Critics of the party say the party has been unclear about its position regarding International Monetary Fund (IMF)-backed economic reforms proposed by President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government. In one example, critics say, the party’s low rung leaders are calling for an immediate restructure of Sri Lanka’s loss-making state-run Ceylon Electricity Board, while the party leadership has adopted what the critics claim is a disruptive policy of unconstructive, politically motivated criticism.

SJB Treasurer and MP Harsha de Silva who also spoke at the event said that the party’s plan was to develop Sri Lanka into a knowledge and technology based highly competitive social market economy as a hub of the Indian Ocean.

“Our model will be a synthesis of economic and political freedom where markets thrive yet at the same time we build a strong safety net to ensure equity and social justice for all,” he said. The MP, widely considered the SJB’s voice on economic policy, said economic reforms are absolutely essential and the party will see it to it that these reforms are made.

“We will breakdown protection walls and build bridges to join global production networks,” he said in a tweet recapping his remarks.

“Fact is since the demise of Pres Premadasa, no real focus on manufactured exports. While others progressed from apparels to electrical to electronics we didn’t. Our inward looking statist approach bankrupted us. Only way our youth will have a future is if we join the world! (sp),” he tweeted.

Critics of the SJB say, no matter how eloquently individual SJB members might articulate their position vis-à-vis reforms, SOE restructure, trade liberalisation and industrialisation, the party proper and its leadership have yet to officially announce its stance.SJB National Organiser Tissa Attanayake, meanwhile, said the time has come to force a presidential election from the president.

“We have to talk to Mr Ranil Wickremesinghe and somehow get a presidential election, even forcefully. We have to push for a parliamentary election. Don’t forget 2023 is an election year,” he said.

“Leave this convention with the confidence that we can win any upcoming election,” he told the audience, some of whom were heard shouting slogans at the start of the event ‘our president’ and ‘our king’ when Premadasa arrived at the location.

Though the speakers’ demand was for any election, the party party opted to formally adopt a resolution at the convention to demand only a local government election in the coming year.

Speaking at the event, SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara claimed that the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP)’s vote base, which stood at 6.9 million in 2019, has now dropped to less than 10% of that number.

“We had 5.5 million. There were two other parties with 450,000 and 250,000 votes each. Neither of those two parties can come where anywhere near the 5.5 million,” he said, triumphantly.

He was likely referring to the leftist National People’s Power, effectively a rebranded Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), which obtained some 445,000 votes at the 2020 parliamentary election. The other party was ostensibly the United National Party (UNP), which the SJB broke off of en masse under Premadasa’s leadership in 2020. The UNP, led by Wickremesinghe and represented in parliament by a single MP, managed less than 250,000 votes at the 2020 polls.

Despite its thinly veiled potshot at the JVP, the SJB adopted a formal resolution at the convention to work together with “all progressive and democratic forces” to agitate against what the party called the government’s repression of mass protests and also to demand local government election.

Observers say that the JVP and the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) and other leftists groups affiliated with the two parties have been instrumental in the success of the Aragalaya street protests that saw the ouster of ex President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. However, critics of the JVP are sceptical that its apparent rise in popularity since the 3% vote in 2020 is still unlikely to translate to a JVP-led government.

Meanwhile supporters of President Wickremesinghe argue that the commander in chief’s popularity is also on the rise, given what appears to be a return to stability after mass unrest earlier in the year, an easing of inflation and the availability of some formerly scarce commodities despite price hikes.

Political analysts say Wickremesinghe’s UNP is looking to form its own new alliance under the president’s leadership, incorporating section of the SLPP and some from the opposition camp, in an upcoming presidential or parliamentary election, whichever may come first.

The SJB convention saw large crowds gathered, but as is usual for party conventions and election rallies in Sri Lanka, they were likely card carrying party members and representatives of the party’s core base and not ordinary voters, and analysts question the SJB’s capacity to form a government at this stage even counting for the massive erosion of the SLPP’s popularity.

The convention saw the guest participation of a number of former SLPP stalwarts such as Dilan Perera, Chandima Weerakkody and others who now sit independently in parliament. Another notable SJB member from the Kaluta district who had been speculated to cross over to the government was also present.

Other resolutions adopted at the convention one to see that parliament pass an Anti-Corruption Bill drafted by SJB and to facilitate youth participation in Sri Lanka’s overall political process and to “recreate the Sri Lanka state” through social, economic and political reforms.

Popular singer Rookantha Goonathilake, who famously sang the UNP theme song ‘Ithin Hadamu Api Aluth Ratak’ but has since joined the SJB, performed for the crowd singing the SJB theme song, which was followed by a number of cultural items.

Some diplomats had also been invited.Premadasa, in his speech, stressed on the importance of an election.

“In a democratic system, what is the best litmus test to evaluate one’s own strength? An election. We want an election. Don’t we?” he said, pointing at the crowd.Some shouts of “yes” were heard.

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Colombo Law Society objects to judges’ retirement age move

Published

21 hours ago

2026/07/4

Thilina Walpola

…Urges President not to undermine public confidence in independence of judiciary

The Colombo Law Society has urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake not to proceed with any constitutional amendment to extend the retirement age of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges, warning that such a move could undermine public confidence in the independence of the judiciary.

In a letter dated July 2, 2026, the Society said its Executive Committee had unanimously resolved to convey its concerns following reports of a proposal to increase the retirement age of judges of the superior courts.

The Society said any amendment affecting the tenure of sitting judges should be approached with caution, adding that public confidence in the independence of the judiciary must be safeguarded.

Full text of the letter: The Executive Committee of the Colombo Law Society, at its duly convened meeting held on 25 June 2026, deliberated extensively on the reported proposal to increase the retirement age of Judges of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

Having carefully considered the matter, the Executive Committee unanimously resolved to convey its concerns to Your Excellency and to express its support for the position taken by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka in its letter addressed to Your Excellency, dated 25 May, 2026.

The Colombo Law Society recognizes and appreciates the invaluable contribution made by members of the higher judiciary to the administration of justice in Sri Lanka. However, we respectfully take the view that any alteration to the constitutionally established retirement age of Superior Court Judges must be approached with the utmost caution and only after broad consultation with all relevant stakeholders.

The existing retirement ages of Judges of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court have remained unchanged since the promulgation of the 1978 Constitution. Any departure from this long-standing constitutional framework, particularly where it affects serving judges, may give rise to public concern and perceptions that could undermine confidence in the independence and impartiality of the judiciary.

The independence of the judiciary is one of the cornerstones of the Rule of Law and democratic governance. Equally important is the public perception of such independence. The judiciary must not only be independent in fact but must also be seen to be independent and free from any appearance of influence or accommodation.

The Colombo Law Society further notes that the number of Judges of both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court was increased through constitutional reform in 2020. In those circumstances, questions naturally arise as to whether there exists a compelling institutional necessity to alter the retirement age of Superior Court Judges at this juncture.

We respectfully submit that constitutional amendments relating to the judiciary should be undertaken only after careful consideration of their long-term impact on judicial independence, public confidence, and the constitutional framework of the Republic.

Accordingly, the Colombo Law Society respectfully urges Your Excellency to give the fullest consideration to the concerns expressed by the legal profession and to refrain from proceeding with any constitutional amendment seeking to extend the retirement age of Judges of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

We remain confident that Your Excellency will continue to uphold and safeguard the independence, integrity, dignity, and public confidence in the judiciary, which remain essential to the preservation of the Rule of Law and democratic governance in Sri Lanka.

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Freedom 250: US Embassy celebrates America’s 250th Independence Day through magic of American cinema

Published

21 hours ago

2026/07/4

Thilina Walpola

Fireworks illuminate the Colombo night sky on Thursday as the US Embassy in Sri Lanka commemorated America’s semiquincentennial—the 250th anniversary of the United States’ independence.

The US Embassy in Sri Lanka commemorated America’s semiquincentennial—250 years of independence—with Chief Guest, Minister of Health and Mass Media Nalinda Jayatissa, and hundreds of Sri Lankan partners, government officials, business leaders, diplomats and friends of the United States, at a Freedom 250 celebration honouring the enduring power of freedom through the lens of American cinema. The July 2 celebration highlighted the ideals that have shaped the United States for two and a half centuries—individual liberty, self-government, freedom of expression, and the belief that free people can dream, create, and shape their own future. The Embassy grounds were transformed into an immersive cinematic experience, celebrating how American films have reflected those freedoms while inspiring audiences across generations and around the world, including in Sri Lanka.

Welcoming guests to the celebration, Chargé d’Affaires Jayne Howell reflected on the profound connection between American freedom and cinematic storytelling. “Tonight, we celebrate 250 years of American independence by honouring one of our nation’s greatest gifts to the world—the art of cinema,” she said.

“For more than a century, American filmmakers have used their creative freedom to craft stories that resonate across every border and culture. From the opening of the world’s first dedicated movie theater in New Orleans, in 1896, to the groundbreaking animation of Snow White, from the sweeping epics like The Godfather to the technological marvels of Avatar, Star Wars and Jurassic Park, and classics like The Bridge on the River Kwai—filmed in Sri Lanka and forever linking the island to Hollywood history—our films reflect the very freedoms we celebrate today—the freedom to dream boldly, to question deeply, and to imagine new possibilities.”

CDA Howell continued, “As we share this cinematic journey with our Sri Lankan friends—fellow champions of democracy and freedom—we’re reminded that the best American stories are universal stories. They speak to the courage we see in The Wizard of Oz, the unity we witness in The Avengers, the wonder we experience through E.T., the spirit of exploration and achievement captured in films like Apollo 11, and the resilience we admire in Forrest Gump. Tonight, we celebrate not just American cinema, but the freedom that makes it possible—the freedom to tell any story, to show America at its best and its most complex, and to believe that movies can change how we see ourselves and each other. That freedom is what we honour on this 250th anniversary and the enduring values that will guide us forward.”

The evening opened with a stunning visual spectacle: rooftop screens displayed on the Embassy building celebrating 250 years of American independence and commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The centerpiece was an open-air screening, under the stars, featuring carefully curated clips that traced American cinema’s evolution—from silent films that established visual storytelling techniques still used today, through Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (the first full-length animated feature), The Matrix’s groundbreaking “bullet time” effects, to Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, which redefined superhero cinema as a vehicle for exploring complex questions about justice and society.

The celebration concluded with fireworks illuminating the Colombo sky as the III Marine Expeditionary Force Band, the US Marine Corps’ forward-deployed band in the Indo-Pacific region, based in Okinawa, Japan, performed a montage of American songs that have inspired generations. Guests enjoyed a menu featuring high-quality US beef and other American food and beverages, showcasing the global reputation of American agricultural exports.

As the United States marks 250 years of independence, Freedom 250 celebrates the enduring idea that has defined America since 1776—that freedom unlocks human potential, fuels creativity and innovation, and empowers individuals to shape a better future. Through education, trade, investment, security cooperation, and the enduring ties between our people, the United States and Sri Lanka continue to strengthen a partnership built on opportunity and shared democratic values.

The US Embassy extends its sincere gratitude to the generous sponsors whose support made this year’s Independence Day celebration possible, including Diamond Sponsors Brandix, Hayleys, Hirdaramani, MAS Holdings, Mastercard, RM Parks, and Visa, along with our other valued partners.

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CA dismisses application filed by Yoshitha seeking to quash conspiracy charge in money laundering case

Published

21 hours ago

2026/07/4

Thilina Walpola

The Court of Appeal yesterday dismissed a revision application filed by Yoshitha Rajapaksa seeking to quash a conspiracy charge in the money laundering case, pending before the Colombo High Court.

Rajapaksa had challenged the conspiracy count in the indictment filed by the Attorney General, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, contending that the charge was not legally maintainable.

A Court of Appeal Bench, comprising Justices Amal Ranaraja and Dr. Sumudu Premachandra, rejected the application, ruling that the conspiracy charge could proceed before the Colombo High Court.

The ruling clears the way for the High Court to continue hearing the money laundering case, filed by the Attorney General against Rajapaksa.