News

ITAK sans EPRLF, TELO and PLOTE confident of securing majority of seats in N&E

Published

1 year ago

2024/11/1

Thilina Walpola

Shanakiyan

…ponders future course of action

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Batticaloa District Illankai Thamil Arasu Kadchchi (ITAK) contestant Shanakiyan Rasamanickam said that they would decide on a future course of action after the conclusion of the parliamentary election.

The former MP said so when The Island asked whether the TNA would consider backing the National People’s Power (NPP) government.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake recently hinted at the possibility of possible consensus between some Tamil political parties and his government. President Dissanayake had separate meetings with ex-parliamentarians EPDP leader Douglas Devananda and Sivagnanam Shritharan of TNA.

Rasamanickam declared that the ITAK could secure 13 seats, including two National List slots. “Regardless of all sorts of claims and criticism directed at us by political rivals, we are still the dominant party in the Northern and Eastern Provinces.

.That’ll be reiterated at the Nov. 14 general election,” Rasamanickam said.

Responding to another query, the outspoken politician said the EPRLF, TELO and PLOTE had quit the ITAK-led Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the ITAK also known as the Federal Party was contesting general election on its own.

According to Rasamanickam when compared with the number of Tamil political parties that had been represented in the last parliament, the number of parties and independent groups contesting in the Northern and Eastern districts was much higher.

In the last parliament, altogether five political parties were represented. The TNA contesting under ITAK symbol ‘House’ secured 10 seats, including one NL slot, EPDP (2), AITC (2) including one NL), TMVP (1) and TMTK (1).

Declaring that they had absolutely no problem in retaining the same number of seats as in the previous parliament, Rasamanickam said the oldest party in that part of the country was aiming 13 seats.

One-time TNA MP Pakkiyaselvam Ariyaenthiran who contested the recently concluded presidential election as an independent candidate was not in the fray at the general election, Rasamanickam said. However, those who backed him at that election were contesting on the Democratic Tamil National Alliance (DTNA) ticket, Rasamanickam said.

“TELO and PLOTE that represented the TNA in parliament previously are with the DTNA,” Rasamanickam said, adding that their symbol originally belonged to Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU). Asked about ex-TNA lawmaker Sivagnanam Shritharan’s status, Rasamanickam said that Shritharan was on their Jaffna district list. Differences over him backing the candidature of Pakkiyaselvam Ariyaenthiran at the presidential election had been resolved, Rasamanickam said, urging the Northern and Eastern electorates to have faith in the ITAK.

Rasamanickam asserted that national parties would find it extremely difficult to win sufficient support among the predominately Tamil speaking electoral divisions (Jaffna, Vanni, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Digamadulla) to make a difference.

Rasamanickam noted that at the last general election, Angajan Ramanathan entered parliament from Jaffna on the SLFP ticket, the only district that party contested under its own symbol. Ramanathan is now contesting under the ‘post box’ symbol.

The SLFP is not in the fray at the parliamentary election.

Two former prominent LTTE personnel are also in the fray in the East. Karuna Amman and Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pilleyan, both former lawmakers are contesting the Batticaloa district from different political parties. According to Rasamanickam Chandrakanthan is on the TMVP Batticaloa district list whereas Karuna is contesting on the ticket of a political party registered by ex-MP Chathura Senaratne.

Rasamanickam emphasised on the responsibility on the part of the President and the parliament to address the grievances of the Tamil speaking people.

Referring to the conclusion of the conflict in 2009, Rasamanickam said that those who had been at the helm of political power never made a genuine effort to address the issues. Instead they played politics, the Batticaloa district candidate said, urging the electorate to help build a strong opposition against the backdrop of NPP’s repeated urgings that the parliament be filled by its candidates.

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Advisory for Heavy Rain issued for the Central, Uva, Sabaragamuwa, Eastern and North-central provinces and in Galle and Matara districts

Published

2 hours ago

2026/02/22

Priyan

Advisory for Heavy Rain Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre at 08.30 a.m. on 22 February 2026 valid for the period until 08.30 a.m. 23 February 2026

Due to the influence of the low level atmospheric disturbance in the vicinity of Sri Lanka, Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in Central, Uva, Sabaragamuwa, Eastern and North-central provinces and in Galle and Matara districts.

Therefore, general public is advised to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by heavy rain, strong winds and lightning during thundershowers

News

Matara Festival for the Arts’ inaugurated by the Prime Minister

Published

8 hours ago

2026/02/22

Priyan

The inaugural ceremony of the Matara Festival for the Arts, featuring a wide range of creations by local and international artists, was held on February 19 at the Old High Court premises of the Matara Fort, under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.

The festival, centred around the Old High Court premises in Matara and the auditorium of the Matara District Secretariat, will be open to the public from 20 to 23 of February. The festival will be featured by visual art exhibitions, short film screenings, Kala Pola, and a series of workshops conducted by experts.

The inaugural event was attended by the Minister of Women and Child Affairs, Ms. Saroja Paulraj, along with artists, guests, and a large number of schoolchildren.

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)

News

Only single MP refuses salary as Parliament details pays and allowances

Published

12 hours ago

2026/02/22

Thilina Walpola

SJB Badulla District MP Nayana Wasalathilake is the only MP to forego salary and allowances, with all payments suspended following his written notification on August 20, 2025.

Only one Member of Parliament has chosen not to receive the salaries and allowances entitled to MPs, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya revealed in Parliament last Thursday, shedding light on the financial perks enjoyed by members of the Tenth Parliament.

Speaking on Thursday (Feb. 19) in response to a question from SJB Badulla District MP Chaminda Wijesiri, the Prime Minister outlined the full range of pay and allowances provided to parliamentarians.

According to Dr. Amarasuriya, MPs receive a monthly allowance of Rs. 54,285, an entertainment allowance of Rs. 1,000, and a driver’s allowance of Rs. 3,500—though MPs provided with a driver through the Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs are not eligible for the driver’s allowance.

Additional benefits include a telephone allowance of Rs. 50,000, a transport allowance of Rs. 15,000, and an office allowance of Rs. 100,000. MPs are also paid a daily sitting allowance of Rs. 2,500 for attending parliamentary sessions, with an additional Rs. 2,500 per day for participation in parliamentary sittings and Rs. 2,500 per day as a committee allowance.

Committee meetings held on non-parliament sitting days also attract Rs. 2,500 per day.

Fuel allowances are provided based on the distance between an MP’s electoral district and Parliament. National List MPs are entitled to a monthly allocation equivalent to 419.76 litres of diesel at the market price on the first day of each month.

Despite the comprehensive benefits, only SJB Badulla District MP Nayana Wasalathilaka has opted not to draw a salary or allowances. Dr. Amarasuriya said that in accordance with a written notification submitted by MP Wasalathilaka on August 20, 2025, payments have been suspended since that date.

The Prime Minister also confirmed that she, along with the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, committee chairs, ministers, deputy ministers, the Opposition Leader, and senior opposition whips, have all informed the Secretary-General of Parliament in writing that they will not claim the fuel allowance.

Challenging the ruling party’s voluntary pledge to forgo salaries, MP Wijesiri pointed out that all MPs except Wasalathilaka continue to receive their salaries and allowances. “On one hand you speak about the people’s mandate, which is good. But the mandate also included people who said they would voluntarily serve in this Parliament without salaries. Today we have been able to prove, Hon. Speaker, that except for one SJB MP, the other 224 Members are drawing parliamentary salaries,” he said.

The Prime Minister responded by defending the political culture and practice of allocating portions of MPs’ salaries to party funds. Referring to previous practices by the JVP and NPP, she said: “It is no secret to the country that the JVP has for a long time not personally taken MPs’ salaries or any allowances. I think the entire country knows that these go to a party fund. That is not new, nor is it something special to mention. The NPP operates in the same way. That too is not new; it is the culture of our political movement.”

When MP Wijesiri posed a supplementary question asking whether diverting salaries to party funds was an indirect method of taking care of MPs, Dr. Amarasuriya said: “There is no issue there. No question was raised; the Member made a statement. What we have seen throughout this week is an inability to understand our political culture and practice, and a clash with decisions taken by political movements that misused public funds. What is coming out is a certain mindset. That is why there is such an effort to find fault with the 159. None of these facts are new to people. He did not ask a question, so I have nothing to answer.”

The disclosures come days after the Government moved to abolish the parliamentary pension, a measure that has sparked renewed debate over MP compensation and the transparency of funds allocation.