News
Court of Appeal moved against selection of State Counsel
Attorney-at-Law M.A.A.M. Behshad has petitioned the Court of Appeal over his exclusion from the list of 38 selected as State Counsel.
The court has been moved in terms of Article 140 of the Constitution. Among the respondents are Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe, his predecessor Sanjay Rajaratnam, Chairman of Public Service Commission Sanath J. Ediriweera and Solicitor General Ayesha Jinasena.
In his petition, Behshad has claimed that there were two lists, one prepared by the office of the first respondent Parinda Ranasinghe, and the other by his predecessor Sanjay Rajaratnam. The petitioner has also sought material relevant to the selection of new State Counsel from the first respondent and the second respondent Chairman of Public Service Commission Sanath J. Ediriweera.
The petitioner has questioned the procedures in place and alleged favouritism at the expense of those who really deserved an opportunity to serve as State Counsel. According to the petition, the crux of the matter is the decision to increase the pool of candidates, from 46 to 76, having discarded the original plan to recruit 23 State Counsels. With the increasing of the candidates’ pool, the powers that be increased the number of recruits to 38, the petitioner stated.
The unexpected move reduced the merit-based selection due to the inclusion of those, the petitioner called, lower-scoring candidates.
Declaring that he met the standards set by the authorities, the petitioner has requested the holding up of appointments pending the conclusion of the case, prevent respondents to be part of the recruitment process, etc.
(SF)
The government, under heavy Opposition fire over inclusion of a sex website in the Grade 6 English module, as well as overall education reforms, has decided to put on hold reforms in respect of Grade 6.
Cabinet Spokesman and Media and Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced the government decision yesterday (13) at the post-Cabinet media briefing at the Information Department.
According to him, the decision had been taken at the previous day’s Cabinet meeting, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Dr. Jayatissa said that education reforms pertaining to Garde 6 had been put on hold until 2027.
The Minister said that other proposed education reforms would be implemented as planned. The Minister said that action would be taken against those responsible for the inclusion of a link to a sex website following investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department and the National Education Institute.
The SJB and several other political parties, as well as civil society groups, have accused the government of promoting an LGBTQ agenda, through the proposed education reforms.
The Opposition grouping Mahajana Handa, on Monday, made representations to the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatta Chapter regarding the controversial reforms, while urging their intervention to halt the project.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (13) vowed to go ahead with his government’s agenda, regardless of the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Emphasising the responsibility on the part of all to contribute to the post-Ditwah recovery efforts, President Dissanayake said that he would have complete faith in the public service.
The President said so at the launch of the re-building Sri Lanka project at the BMICH yesterday.
The JVP and NPP leader said that he wouldn’t take advantage of the death and destruction caused by the cyclone or use the situation as an excuse to reverse their agenda or weaken it.
President Dissanayake said that in spite of many calling for amending the then Budget, in view of the cyclone, the government presented the proposals that were agreed before the disaster struck.
The United States has announced that it will provide the Sri Lanka Air Force with 10 US Navy TH-57 helicopters free of charge.
The announcement was made by outgoing US Ambassador Julie Chung, who stated, on social media, that the helicopters would be transferred under the United States’ Excess Defence Articles programme. The aircraft are Bell 206 Sea Ranger helicopters previously operated by the US Navy.
US sources said that the transfer was intended to strengthen Sri Lanka’s disaster response capabilities, following the devastating cyclone that struck the island at the end of 2025 and killed more than 600 people. US officials have framed the move as a humanitarian measure aimed at improving aerial rescue and relief operations.
Fair weather will prevail except for a few showers in the Uva, Eastern, Western and Central provinces and in Galle, Matara and Rathnapura districts
Trump cancels US-Iran meetings, urges protesters to take over institutions
Govt. bows to pressure, shelves Grade 6 reforms
AKD: Govt. agenda on track despite Ditwah disaster
SL to receive 10 helicopters from US
Foreign couple held over alleged biopiracy at Horton Plains
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