News
Country lost Rs 700 mn due to LG polls postponement
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The local council (LG) elections will be held before the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, says Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Rathnayake.
The long overdue provincial council elections, too, would be held after a few months, Rathnayake told The Island yesterday.
The postponement of the LG polls in 2023 had not only deprived 16 million people of an opportunity to elect their local councillors but also caused a loss of Rs. 700 mn to the state coffers, Rathnayake said, adding that the LG polls were the most operationally challenging electoral contest.
The Government Printer had to print 340 different ballot papers, for each local council. “Once they print sample ballot papers, we will have to proofread them extremely fast. There were over 80,200 candidates who wanted to contest the 2023 local council election,” he said.
Ratnayake said that some people thought expenses for elections could be reduced if the local and provincial council elections were held on the same day, but it was not possible.
“During an election we establish a polling centre with a particular number of voters in mind. We estimate past voting patterns and the average time a voter needs to cast his or her ballot. If we hold local and provincial councils elections together, we will have to establish more polling centres because voters need double the time to vote. Otherwise we won’t be able to finish voting by 4 p.m., on the same day,” Rathnayake said, adding that if the Election Commission had to double the number of polling centres, that would mean the deployment of double the election staff, ballot boxes, vehicles, etc.
The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sahyadri which arrived at the Port of Colombo on a formal visit on 04 Apr 25, departed the island today (07 Apr). The Sri Lanka Navy bade customary farewell to the departing ship at the Port of Colombo, following naval traditions.
During the ship’s stay in Colombo, crew members of INS Sahyadri took part in several programmes organized by the Sri Lanka Navy, aimed at enhancing mutual cooperation. In addition, they also explored some tourist attractions in the country. Further, personnel of Sri Lanka Navy had the opportunity to visit INS Sahyadri, gaining insights into her operational capabilities.
Latest News
Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
The Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre has issued an Advisory for Severe Lightning for the Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district.
The advisory issued at 02.00 p.m. today [07 April 2025] is valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 07 April 2025
The public are warned that thundershowers accompanied by severe lightning are likely to occur at several places in for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambantota district. 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.
The report of the “Census of Population and Housing 2024,” conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics, was officially handed over to President Anura Kumara Disanayake this morning (07) at the Presidential Secretariat.
This preliminary report has been prepared based on island wide data collected between October and December 2024.
The report provides details on Sri Lanka’s population, its growth and the distribution of the population across districts.
The information gathered through the census is vital not only for the government but also for other institutions in formulating policies and development plans essential for the country’s progress. Significantly, for the first time in the history of census-collecting in Sri Lanka, data collection was carried out using tablet computers and user-friendly mobile devices.
The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Finance & Planning, Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwardana, Director General of the Department of Census and Statistics D.D.G.A. Senevirathne and several other officials.
INS Sahyadri sets sail from Colombo
Belgian prince loses bid for benefits on top of £300k royal allowance
Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
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