News
Govt. has put independent commissions in legal straitjacket, says PAFFREL
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The government has prevented the independent commissions from retaining independent lawyers, Rohana Hettiarachchi, Executive Director of People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) says.That would diminish these commissions’ ability to take any action that went against the desires of the governments, Hettiarachchi said.
” The Elections Commission is now represented by Saliya Peiris, PC. Now all commissions will have to depend on the Attorney General’s Department,” he said.
“If the local council election is postponed by several months, it is likely that the government will try to change the electoral laws and postpone the polls further. Nominations that have already been submitted will become null and void in such an eventuality. The government has already appointed a delimitation commission and this can be used to delay elections, too. The Elections Commission only needs only Rs. 1.1 billion rupees for the election. The government really has no reason to say it has no money,” he said.
The Cabinet of Ministers granted their concurrence to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Youth Affairs to appoint S. Achchudan of Special Grade of Sri Lanka Administrative Service, who is currently serving as an Additional Commissioner of Elections at the Elections Commission who is
recommended by the panel of interviewers to the post of Director General of the Sports Development Department with effect form 01.01.2026.
The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal furnished by the Minister of Environment to publish the draft bill of the National Environment (Amended) Act in the government gazette notification and subsequently to submit the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Buddhism, Religious, and Cultural Affairs to provide tax relief on imported dates received as donations or gift for Ramadan.
This year’s Ramadan fasting season is scheduled to begin on 19-02-2026 and end on 21-03-2026.
Shafali, Renuka close in on top five in ICC T20I rankings
S. Achchudan appointed as Director General of the Sports Development Department.
Amendment of the National Environment Act No. 47 of 1980
Tax relief for Dates received as donations or gifts for Ramadan
Cabinet nod to establish the Sri Lanka Industrial Transformation and innovation Authority
Temporary employment of Sri Lankan labour in the State of Israel
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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