News
JVP leader says President fears elections
By Saman Indrajith
The JVP says President Ranil Wickremesinghe fears elections, given the UNP’s pathetic performance at the last general election (2020), where it failed to have at least a single MP elected by the people.
JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, addressing the JVP-led NPP’s Kesbewa electoral organisation meeting on Saturday, said that the country needed an election to get rid of the dredges of an old system but the government was afraid of elections. “The government is hell-bent on finding an excuse to postpone local government elections. Wickremesinghe could not muster enough votes to enter Parliament. He came through the backdoor. Therefore, it is only natural for him to fear elections. He knows that if he suffers another electoral loss, he will not be able to hold onto the presidency. So, he is doing everything in his power to postpone elections. People ousted the SLPP regime and the makeshift government now ruling the country does so without a mandate.”
Dissanayake said Wickremesinghe had recently visited Trincomalee and there stated that Sri Lanka would have had fuel at present if we had sold the oil tank farms in the past. “We have a fuel shortage not because we failed to sell the oil tank farm but because we do not have dollars,” Dissanayake said.
“People would not put up with this repressive regime any longer. When the people fought for their rights, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had to flee the country. Mahinda Rajapaksa had to take flight from Temple Trees to go into hiding in a Navy camp in Trincomalee. Basil Rajapaksa could not board a plane. That is people power. So, we warn the incumbent regime to expect the next uprising of people and see the consequences if they further delay elections,” he said. NPP National Exco members former MP Lakshman Nipunarachchi and Vraîe Cally Balthazaar aslo addressed the gathering.
The Ministry of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development has recommended the establishment of Sri Lankan Standards, i.e. the import testing methodology for imported tires used for passenger cars and pneumatic tires for three-wheelers with the aim of ensuring a fair competitive environment for local
manufactures and ensuring consumer safety and security.
Taking into the said recommendations, “Import and Export (control regulations N0.08 of the 2026)” has been enacted to amend the existing regulations by means of the Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2508/27 dated 2026-10-01, prescribing Sri Lanka standard 1212 for the import of passenger types (HS Code 4011.10.90) and Sri Lanka standard 1347 for the import of
pneumatic tires for three – wheeled vehicles (HS Code 4011.90.10).
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development to submit the aforementioned regulations to Parliament for approval.
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 02.06.2025 to introduce a new act to promote and providing legal provisions for facilitating the Public Private Joint Enterprises within Sri Lanka as well as the establishment of the National Agency for Public Private Partnership Joint Enterprises.
Accordingly, the Legal Draftsman has formulated the relevant draft bill and the Attorney General has given his clearance to the said draft bill.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to publish the said
draft bill in the government gazette notification and thereby submit it to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Regulation, development and control of indigenous medical sector in Sri Lanka comprised of Ayurvedha, Sidhdha, Unani, Local Therapies are carried out under the provisions of Ayurvedha Act No. 31 of 1961.
Although amendments were made to the act from time to time as per the requirements, the necessity of further amending the Ayurvedha Act has been identified to enable efficiently maintaining all activities of local medical field productively, further formalizing the regulation of the sector, taking actions to providing licenses applicable to export of local medicines, and achieving the progress and sustainable development goals in the local medical sector.
Based on the said factors, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to direct the Legal Draftsman to formulate a draft bill to amend the Ayurvedha Act No. 31 of 1961.
Import and Export (Control) Regulations No. 08 of 2026
Draft Bill of the Public Private Partnership Enterprises Act to be gazzetted
Amendment of the Ayurvedha Act No. 31 of 1961
Cabinet nod to amend the Sri Lanka Development Administration Institute Act No. 9 of 1982
Establishment of the National Higher Performance Centre
State patronage for the cremation ceremony of the late deputy prelate (Anu Nayaka Thero) of the Sri Laka Ramangya Maha Nikaya, Gatambe Rajopawanramadhipatha, Siri Chandawimala Wanshalankara, Chandrakeerthi Sri Amarawansha, Sadhdharmawageeshwara, Shasanashobhanna Most Venerable Keppetiyagoda Siriwimalabhidhana Thero
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