News
Motion to remove PUCSL Chairman passed by Parliament
By Saman Indrajith
A motion moved by the government to remove the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) Chairman Janaka Ratnayake was passed in Parliament with a majority of 46 votes yesterday.
The motion received 123 votes in favour and 77 votes against.
MPs of the SJB, SLFP, JVP-led NPP, Nidahasa Janatha Sabhawa and Uttara Lanka Sabhagaya voted against the government.
The motion, in accordance with Sri Lanka Public Utilities Commission Act No. 35 of 2002 for the removal of J.W. M. J. P. K. Ratnayake, the incumbent Chairman and the member of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka, from the membership of the said Commission in terms of Section 7 of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka Act, was taken for debate suspending Standing Orders.
MPs Vadivel Suresh, Kumara Welgama and A.H.M. Fowzie voted for the motion with the government.
Minister Susil Premajayantha, moving the motion for the debate, said that the PUCSL was not an independent commission set up under the Constitutional provisions, and it was only a regulatory body set up through a separate Act of Parliament and, therefore, the provisions relevant to the independent commissions were not applicable to the PUCSL.
The motion was debated in Parliament from 10.30 am to 5 pm, with Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera commencing the debate, saying that five allegations were being levelled against the PUCSL Chairman. The debate was followed by a division.
Accordingly, following the vote, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena declared that the motion had been passed by an absolute majority.
Based on the prevailing disaster situation and the upcoming festive season, arrangements have been made to provide a nutrition allowance worth Rs. 5,000 to pregnant mothers.
This allowance, which will be provided only once, will be given to pregnant mothers who were registered at maternal clinics on or before 30 November 2025.
The distribution will take place through the Divisional Secretariat offices from 16 December, as a program of the National Secretariat for Early Childhood Development, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs.
The Situation Report released by the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) at 6:00 AM today (13th December 2025) confirms that 640 persons have died and another 211 persons are missing due to flooding and landslides that took place in Sri Lanka within the past two weeks.
A meeting between representatives of UNICEF and Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya was held on the 10th of December at the Prime Minister’s Office.
During the discussion, an initial review of the new digitalization policy draft was conducted, and it was emphasized that the new digital policy must be formulated to align with the ongoing education reforms.
The Prime Minister highlighted that the digital policy should be developed in a way that supports all five core pillars of the current education reforms, including curriculum reform, infrastructure development, and administrative restructuring.
It was further noted that the current draft is primarily focused on curriculum-related matters, and the digital policy should be structured to influence the overall education reform process.
Extensive discussions were also held on the importance of digital literacy, NEMIS, the provision of digital infrastructure, and minimizing the existing digital divide.
Attention was also drawn to the gaps in the current teacher training mechanisms , and the Prime Minister stressed the need to reduce paper usage.
The meeting was attended by the UNICEF representatives Dr. Emma Brigham and Deborah Wyburn, Secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri, Additional Secretary A.B.M. Ashraff, and several other officials.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
Pregnant Mothers to receive Rs 5000 Nutrition Allowance in December
640 deaths, 211 missing as at 6:00AM today (13)
New Digitalization Policy draft reviewed
The government is taking steps to streamline trade facilitation, customs processes, investment approvals, and improving export facilities – Prime Minister
Showers will occur in the Northern, North-Central, Eastern, Uva, Central and North-Western provinces.
Big fossil fuel companies are responsible for climate crisis but poor countries like Sri Lanka are battered by it – Greenpeace South Asia
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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