News
AG tells Supreme Court:
‘Passage of Port City Bill needs only simple majority’
by Chitra Weerarathne and A.J.A. Abeynayake
The Attorney General informed the Supreme Court yesterday that the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill did not contain any provisions inconsistent with the Constitution, and therefore it did not need either a two-thirds majority in Parliament or public approval at a referendum for passage.
The Supreme Court yesterday (23) concluded the consideration of petitions challenging the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill.
The petitions were taken up before a five-judge bench consisting of Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, Justice Buwaneka Aluvihare, Justice Priyantha Jayawardena, Justice Murdhu Fernando, and Justice Janak de Silva.
The decision of the five-judge bench will be conveyed to the Speaker of Parliament in due course.
The Port City Economic Commission Bill was designed to promote the economy of the country by encouraging the foreign investors to invest profitably in the new zone, titled “The Port City”, Farzana Jameel, Additional Solicitor General President’s Counsel explained to the court.
The ASG submitted that the Special Economic Zone created an entity with a multitude of functions, controlled by the Port City Economic Commission.
Jameel appeared for the Attorney General.
The administrative function of the zone would be handled by the Commission with the approval of the Regulatory Authority, the ASG explained.
The licensing process involving banking in the Port City would be perused by the Port City Economic Commission in accordance with the Banking Act of Sri Lanka with permission of the Monetary Board of Sri Lanka.
The Port City Economic Commission was meant for a period of forty years, the Additional Solicitor General explained to the Supreme Court.
This Bill was for the betterment of the country. Foreign investors would be encouraged to invest. Sri Lanka would derive a good profit from their investments.
The government had made arrangements, by the Bill for investments to come swiftly, invest swiftly within the country’s laws, the court was told.
The Bill envisaged nothing outside the law of the land, the AG’s representative maintained.
The activities of the Port City Economic Commission would be controlled by the Minister in charge, and decisively and finally by the President, she said.
Nearly 20 petitions have been submitted against the Draft Bill by parties including Chairman of UNP Vajira Abeywardena, UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara, former JVP MP Wasantha Samarasinghe, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), the Center for Policy Alternatives (CPA), General Secretary of SJB Ranjith Madduma Bandara, and Chairman of the IT Professionals Association G. Kapila Renuka.
Chairman of SLPP Prof. G. L. Peiris, SLPP General Secretary Attorney at Law Sagara Kariyawasam, and the legal association of the SLPP have filed intervenient petitions.
The petitioners, claiming that certain clauses of the relevant Bill have violated the country’s Constitution, are seeking a court order ruling that a two-thirds majority in Parliament and people’s approval at a referendum are necessary for the passage of the Bill.
The Sri Lanka Navy rescued a fisherman from a local fishing trawler that encountered distress due to adverse weather conditions off the eastern coast of Sri Lanka.
The rescue operation took place on 17 July 2026, approximately 15 nautical miles off Pothuvil. The operation was launched following information received by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Colombo.
In response, the Sri Lanka Navy deployed the Offshore Patrol Vessel SLNS Vijayabahu along with additional craft to conduct a search operation in the designated sea area, where they successfully located the distressed fisherman.
Following the rescue, the individual was brought aboard SLNS Vijayabahu, where naval personnel administered preliminary first aid. He was subsequently brought to the mainland and rushed for further medical attention.
Meanwhile, the Navy, along with the coordination of MRCC Colombo, remains constantly prepared to swiftly respond to the eventualities faced by maritime and fishing communities operating within the island’s Search and Rescue Region (SRR).
The countrywide dengue outbreak has intensified, with the death toll rising to 50, by July 16, as the number of reported infections surpassed 73,000, according to the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU).
The country has recorded 73,455 dengue cases so far this year, with the case fatality rate standing at 0.07 percent, highlighting the severity of the ongoing outbreak.
The Western Province continues to remain the worst affected region, accounting for more than half of the total cases, with 38,700 infections. The Gampaha District has recorded the highest number of cases in the province with 15,341, followed closely by Colombo with 14,625.
The Southern Province has reported 11,382 cases, while the Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces have each recorded more than 6,000 infections.
Dengue cases have shown a sharp increase in recent months, with June recording the highest monthly total of 21,538 cases, while July has already reported 18,076 infections. In comparison, 8,590 cases were reported in May, and 5,651 in April.
Health authorities have identified 175 Medical Officer of Health (MOH) areas as high-risk locations during the 27th epidemiological week. An average of 2,677 new dengue cases are being reported daily, prompting authorities to intensify prevention and mosquito control measures.
The Colombo High Court yesterday (17) resumed hearing the money laundering case filed against Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The proceedings were held before High Court Judge Udesh Ranatunga, where evidence was recorded from prosecution witnesses, under the direction of Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara.
President’s Counsel Sampath Mendis, appearing for Yoshitha Rajapaksa, cross-examined the witnesses during the hearing.
After recording evidence, the court ordered that further examination of evidence be postponed until July 24.
The Attorney General has filed indictments, alleging that Yoshitha Rajapaksa committed an offence, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, by purchasing five plots of land in Dehiwala and Ratmalana, valued at more than Rs. 73 million.
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