News
Twenty-two religious leaders were given official passports
Twenty-two religious leaders had been issued with official passports for overseas travel by successive governments between 2010 and 2023 in keeping with ministerial circulars, Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananda Wijepala informed Parliament yesterday.
Responding to a question raised by Vanni District MP Kader Masthan of the Sri Lanka Labour Party, Wijepala said the official passports had been granted by utilising provisions that allowed ministry consultants, advisers, private secretaries and coordinating secretaries attached to ministers to obtain such travel documents.
The Minister explained that official passports were issued in accordance with two circulars issued by the then Ministry of Internal Affairs in 2008 and 2016. Eligible recipients include government officials, staff-grade officers attached to ministries, statutory boards and government corporations, provincial council officials, mayors and deputy mayors of municipal councils, chairmen and deputy chairmen of Pradeshiya Sabhas, commanders of the tri-forces and gazetted police officers.
He said the circulars had also extended eligibility to consultants and ministerial advisers, enabling religious leaders appointed to such positions to qualify for official passports.
According to Wijepala, applications submitted to the Department of Immigration and Emigration were accompanied by copies of the relevant circulars and letters from ministry secretaries certifying that the religious leaders concerned had been serving as consultants, advisers, private secretaries or coordinating secretaries to ministers.
The Minister said that some of the religious leaders who had obtained official passports had subsequently reverted to using ordinary passports upon the expiry of the official documents. However, two Buddhist monks had renewed their official passports.
He identified them as Omalpe Sobitha Thera and Kirimetiyane Wimalawansa Thera.
By Saman Indrajith
A specialists committee has been appointed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation adhering to the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers dated 29.12.2025 for submitting appropriate recommendations analyzing the provisions of the draft bill formulation in regard to Animal Welfare.
Based on the recommendations of the said Committee, the Legal Draftsman has been instructed at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers held on 18.05.2026 to prepare the final bill on the animal welfare.
Wherefore, the Legal Draftsman has formulated the draft bill and the clearance of the Attorney General has been received in the connection.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to publish the said draft bill in the
Government Gazette Notification and subsequently forward the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Under the legal provisions for elections in this country since 2004, it is mandatory for voters who come to mark their votes to verify their identity through a valid identity card, and it is also mandatory for all such voters to be marked with an appropriate mark using indelible ink. The dual purpose of these two functions is to prevent a voter from voting more than once in a single election.
It has been observed that having to follow two different
methods at the same time to achieve the same objective hinders the efficiency of the duties performed at the polling stations and also incurs additional costs to the government.
Therefore, it has been deemed appropriate to remove the legal provisions regarding the use of indelible ink and marking the voter with the appropriate mark from all election acts.
Accordingly, the development activities of the province, as well as national security, will benefit. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the
President to take necessary steps to remove the legal provisions
• Section 36 of the presidential Election Act, No 15 of 1981
• Section 38 of the Parliamentary Election Act, No 01 of 1981
• Section 36 of the Provincial Council Election Act, No 02 of 1988
• Section 53 A of the Local Government Elections Ordinance (262 Authority)
• Section 21 of the Referendum Act No 7 of 1981
News
Showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts
WEATHER FORECAST FOR 24 JUNE 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 24 June 2026 by the Department of Meteorology
Several spells of showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Uva province and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts after 2.00 p.m.
Fairly strong winds about (30-40) kmph can be expectedat times over the Western slopes of the central hills, the Northern, North-central, North-western and Southern provinces and in Trincomalee district.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
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Animal Welfare Draft Bill to be Gazetted
Legal provisions on marking voters using indelible ink during elections removed
Showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts
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