News
Female local councillors less corrupt, more sensitive and law abiding – Chairman EC
Text and picture by PRIYAN DE SILVA
Chairman of the Election Commission (EC) Nimal Punchihewa, addressing participants at an International Women’s Day event, held in Colombo, on Tuesday evening, said that female members of local authorities were less corrupt, more sensitive about the future of the nation, and more law-abiding, compared to their male counterparts.
Punchihewa said that females cared for children who were the future of the nation and did not break the law. Corruption could be reduced drastically by electing more females to local authorities as there were hardly any allegations of corruption levelled against sitting female members, the EC Chief said.
Punchihewa said that he was not aware of any incident where female councillors had demanded kickbacks and that was probably the main reason that they lacked financial support for their campaigns.
Punchihewa pointed out that the fundamental principle of democracy was majority rule and individual rights but in Sri Lanka where 53% of citizens were female, their representation in politics was woefully inadequate. He said that even the fundamental rights of females were violated when nomination lists of the main political parties were prepared.
He said that it was encouraging to see the numbers increase gradually and 26,005 females have received nominations to contest the 2023 local government elections.
News
Establishment of an Institutional Framework to Inagurate Upper Hydro Catchment Areas Management Authority
Policy approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 08.06.2026 to establish the Upper Hydro Catchment Areas Management Authority for identification and
execution of a formal and long – lasting remedy to secure the central hills including the upper hydro catchment areas enabling them to sustain amidst extreme weather conditions
due to natural calamities and human activities as well as to be used for the sustainable development of the country.
Accordingly, a concept paper has been prepared including
institutional structure, activities, powers, active subject area as well as administrative and coordination mechanism for the proposed authority by an expert technical committee appointed by the Secretary to the President.
Based on the said concept paper, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the President to instruct the Legal Draftsman to prepare a draft bill including legal provisions required for the establishment of Upper Hydro Catchment Areas Management Authority.
News
Introduction of Flora and Fauna (Regulation of actions of the Indigenous Community within the nominated areas) Regulations
With the objective of securing the traditional livelihood and the eco system of the indigenous community, it has been recognized the necessity of introducing a formal regulation methodology to secure their engagement in livelihood activities by being more sensitive to the existing laws.
Thereby, the Fauna and Flora (regularizing) regulations under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance (Authority 469) have been prepared so that nominated activities within the prescribed area to a member of the indigenous community
who has been registered for securing the rights acquired from law or custom or usage or traditional stance to execute an act within a certain state land that is fundamental to the survival of the indigenous community permission can be granted
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Environment to publish the said regulations in the government gazette notification and thereby submit to the Parliament for its concurrence.
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