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SOC on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection approves National Audit (Amendment) Bill

Published

8 months ago

2025/08/26

MP Dr. Najith Indika addressing SOC (pic courtesy Parliament)

The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection has approved the National Audit (Amendment) Bill meant to empower the Auditor General to make recommendation to impose a surcharge on the amount of any deficiency or loss.

The National Audit (Amendment) Bill which is scheduled to be debated in Parliament soon, received the approval of the relevant S O C at a meeting held recently (20th) in Parliament under the chairmanship of (Dr.) Najith Indika, Member of Parliament and Chair of Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection.

The amendment aims to make necessary provisions to complaint to a law enforcement authority for legal action in respect of any fraud, corruption or misappropriation found by the Auditor General in carrying out an audit of an auditee entity.

The Amendment Bill also aims to empower the Auditor-General to make recommendation to impose a surcharge on the amount of any deficiency or loss in any transaction of an auditee entity to the Surcharge Review Committee; to empower the Surcharge Review Committee to consider the recommendations made by the Auditor-General and to decide the amount to be imposed as a surcharge; and to specify the procedure to be adopted by the Surcharge Review Committee in determining the amount of surcharge and the recovery of the surcharge.

Following discussions on the above at length, the Committee also took into consideration the Performance Report of the Ministry of Justice and National Integration for the Year 2024; the Performance Report of the Ministry of Justice and Prisons Affairs and Constitutional Reforms for the Year 2023; Performance Reports of the Attorney General’s Department for the year 2022 & 2024; Annual Performance Report of the Legal Draftsman’s Department for the Year 2023 and approved the same.

This meeting was attended by the Members of Parliament Faizer Musthafa, PC, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, M.K.M. Aslam, Thushari Jayasinghe, Attorney-at-Law, (Dr.) Sellaththamby Thilaganathan, Darmapriya Wijesinghe, and Chandana Sooriyaarachchi.

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INS NIREEKSHAK makes port call in Colombo

Published

6 hours ago

2026/04/21

Priyan

The Indian Navy Ship (INS) NIREEKSHAK arrived in Sri Lanka for Operational Turnaround (OTR) and a training visit on 21 Apr 26.

The Sri Lanka Navy welcomed the visiting ship at the port of Colombo in accordance with time-honoured naval traditions.

Commanded by, Commander Sailesh Kumar Tyagi, this Diving Support Vessel is set to conduct a training programme with the diving professionals of the Sri Lanka Navy.

The crew is also scheduled to participate in several activities organized by the Sri Lanka Navy and visit some tourist attractions within the country.

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Advisory for Severe Lightning issued to the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, North-central, Southern, Uva provinces, and Mannar, Vavuniya, Ampara, Batticaloa districts

Published

9 hours ago

2026/04/21

Priyan

Advisory for Severe Lightning
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 12.00 noon 21 April 2026 valid for the period until 11.30 p.m. 21 April 2026

Thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, Northcentral, Southern, Uva provinces, and in Mannar, Vavuniya, Ampara, Batticaloa districts after 1.00 p.m.

There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.

ACTION REQUIRED:

The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
 Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
 Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
 Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
 For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities

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Six Foreign Envoys Present Credentials to President Dissanayake

Published

10 hours ago

2026/04/21

Priyan

Two High Commissioners, three Ambassadors and an Apostolic Nuncio-designate of the Holy See presented their credentials to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (20).

The ceremony, held at 10.00 a.m., followed the formal order of precedence, with the envoys representing Papua New Guinea, Somalia, Luxembourg, the Holy See, Pakistan and Kuwait.

Accordingly, diplomats who presented their credentials were:

01. Vincent Sumale, High Commissioner-designate of Papua New Guinea (Based in New Delhi)

02. Abdullahi Mohammed Odowa, Ambassador-designate of Somalia (Based in New Delhi)

03. Christian Biever, Ambassador-designate of Luxembourg (Based in New Delhi)

04. Monsignor Andrzej Józwowicz, Apostolic Nuncio-designate of the Holy See

05. Major General (Retd) Nayyar Naseer, High Commissioner-designate of Pakistan

06. Saleh Mubarak Al-Sarawi, Ambassador-designate of Kuwait

Following the presentation of credentials, the President engaged in a cordial discussion with them. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, and the Secretary to the President, Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, were also in attendance.