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602 out of 607 police stations engaged in election duties

Published

1 year ago

2024/08/28

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Six hundred and two out of 607 police stations in the country are engaged in election duties, acting police media spokesman, DIG Ruwan Gunasekera said yesterday.

“We have police stations in places like the Uda Maluwa, which have special tasks,” he said.

There are 45 police divisions. “We have established election monitoring centres in these 45 divisions and the 602 police stations. This was done as soon as the election was declared,” he said.

Gunasekera said these monitoring centres are entrusted with investigating election-related complaints. There are several grades of police stations in the country and based on the grade, the number of officers attached to a monitoring centre changes, he said.

“Roughly, five policemen are attached to each monitoring centre. There are 13,314 polling stations for the 21 September presidential election. Each polling booth requires at least two police officers. So on 20 and 21 September, we need about 27,000 policemen for polling booths alone. Altogether we need about 55,000 policemen for election duties,” he said.

Gunasekera said there are 39 presidential candidates, and all of them are given police protection. As soon as the election was declared, a committee was established to determine the level of security threat posed by each candidate and former presidents, he said. The committee is headed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security.

“Among candidates there are people who already receive police security, for example MPs. After nominations are signed, we assign a police detail to all candidates. We then conduct a threat assessment and if we feel some candidates need additional security, we will provide additional security. A representative for each candidate is in touch with the above-mentioned committee. If a candidate is holding a meeting somewhere in the country, that representative can inform the committee. The committee will inform senior policemen in that area, and they will provide necessary security. By the fourth week of August, we have provided security to 34 rallies,” he said.

Gunasekera added the police are now flooded with requests to use public announcement systems during political meetings. These licenses are given based on several criteria, he said. “You need a letter from the owner of the public address systems, a letter from the owner of the land in which a meeting is held. Also, these public announcement systems can only be loud enough for the people in a demarcated area.

The public announcement systems can be used only till 10 pm from Monday to Thursday, until 1 am on Friday and Saturday and until midnight on Sunday. We also do not authorize meetings in government owned lands or near offices or rallies of other political parties,” he said.

The police spokesman added that thousands of election offices are springing up across the country. Section 73 of the Presidential Elections Act No 15 of 1981 sets the guidelines on election offices, he said. There are 22 electoral districts in the country, and one office can be maintained in each district, he said. These are called notified central election offices. “You can also have a branch election office in each polling district. A polling district is an area where a polling booth is held. The residence of a candidate can also be an election office,” he said.

Gunasekera said that posters, banners and cut-outs are allowed only if they fulfil specific criteria. For example, these can be displayed on the motor vehicle that the candidate travels in. These can also be displayed within the premises of election offices. “You can also display posters, banners and cut-outs in the area where an election meeting is held,” he added.

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Landslide RED warnings issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions of Ududumbara, Nildadndahinna and Walapane

Published

11 hours ago

2026/01/9

Priyan

The landslide early warning center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued RED warnings to the districts of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya for the next 24 hours effective from 0900 hrs today [09th January].

Accordingly,
LEVEL III RED landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Ududumbara in the Kandy district, and Nildandahinna and Walapane in the Nuwara Eliya district.

LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Wilgamuwa in the Matale district, and Mathurata and Hanguranketha in the Nuwara Eliya district.

LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Welimada, Kandaketiya, Badulla, Meegahakiwula, Hali_Ela, Passara and Lunugala in the Badulla district, Minipe in the Kandy district, Ambanganga Korale, Ukuwela, Rattota, Naula and Laggala_Pallegama in the Matale district, and Nuwara Eliya in the Nuwara Eliya district.

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A Policy is being formulated to ensure Child Protection in the use of Technology — Prime Minister

Published

14 hours ago

2026/01/9

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that a policy is currently being formulated to ensure child protection in the use of technology.

The Prime Minister made this statement on Thursday (08) in Kandy while briefing the Most Venerable Mahanayake Theros of the Asgiriya and Malwathu Chapters on the issue that has arisen regarding the Grade 6 English module. Thereafter, printed copies of all modules were presented to the Mahanayake Theros.

Earlier on Thursday (08), the Prime Minister visited the Malwathu Viharaya in Kandy and met the Most Venerable Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Nayaka Thero, the Mahanayake of the Malwathu Chapter, where she explained the error that had occurred in the first print run of the English module for Grade 6 .

The Mahanayake Theros emphasized that education is a sensitive subject and that such matters should be handled with greater sensitivity and proper oversight. They further advised that a formal investigation should be conducted and that education reforms should be carried forward in a systematic manner.

Subsequently, the Prime Minister visited the Asgiriya Maha Viharaya and met the Most Venerable Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Mahanayaka Thero of the Asgiriya Chapter, where she clarified the error related to the English module.

The Mahanayake Thero noted that education reforms are a timely necessity and should be implemented with due oversight and careful review and also pointed out that there are broader issues in Sri Lanka regarding the use of technology, which are evident in the manner in which modern tools such as AI technologies are being used on social media.

Clarifying the issue Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya further stated,

“We have appointed a committee to look into this issue, and based on the recommendations of the National Institute of Education (NIE), steps were taken to remove the relevant lesson. In addition, all printed copies of the relevant module have been stamped, and no module has been distributed to schoolchildren. A formal investigation into this matter has been initiated by the Ministry, and a complaint has also been lodged with the Criminal Investigation Department.

At the same time, we are in the process of formulating a policy on child protection in the use of technology”.

Thereafter, addressing the media and responding to the’ questions raised by journalists, the Prime Minister stated:

“The Opposition is attempting to use this national task for their own political advantage. However, many in society have expressed their views on the issues that have arisen in a positive manner, with the objective of identifying and correcting mistakes. The government has decided to move forward with education reforms by recognizing the error that have occurred and rectifying them. We will take the no-confidence motion brought by the Opposition as an opportunity to further advance dialogue on education reforms”

The occasion was graced by the Most Venerable Anunayaka Thero of the Asgiriya Chapter, Venerable Narampanawe Ananda Nayaka Thero; Deputy Registrar of the Asgiriya Chapter, Venerable Muruddeniye Dhammarakkhita Thero; Deputy Registrar of the Malwathu Chapter, Venerable Mahawela Rathanapala Thero; Members of Parliament Thushari Jayasinghe and Thanura Dissanayake; Mayor of Kandy Chandrasiri Wijenayake; Secretary to the Ministry of Education Nalaka Kaluwewa; and Secretary to the Ceylon Teachers’ Union in Central Province D. D. Wimalaweera.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

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The deep depression to the South-east of Sri Lanka is likely to intensify in to a cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours

Published

15 hours ago

2026/01/9

Priyan

Deep depression Track. (Source: RSMC)

A RED warning for a deep depression to the South-east of Sri Lanka has been issued at 01.00 a.m. on 09 January 2026 for the period until 01.00 a.m. 10 January 2026 by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre, of the Department of Meteorology.

The deep depression in the Bay of Bengal to the southeast of Sri Lanka (At 01:00 a.m. on Jan 9th, 2026 located about 200 km East of Pottuvil) is very likely to intensify further and move west-northwestwards towards the coast of Sri Lanka between Pottuvil and Trincomalee in the evening today (9th January 2026.) The system is likely to intensify in to a cyclonic storm
during the next 24 hours.

Hence, showery, and windy condition over the island, particularly in the Northern, North-Central, Eastern, Uva and Central provinces is expected to enhance.