News
Petition before CA against Speaker fixed for consideration on 18 March
The Court of Appeal yesterday ordered that a petition filed by former Deputy Secretary General of Parliament, Chaminda Kularatne, seeking the issuance of a writ order to nullify the decision to suspend him without conducting a fair inquiry, be taken up for consideration on 18 March, 2026.
The petition was taken up yesterday (03) before a bench comprising President of the Court of Appeal Rohantha Abeysuriya and Justice Priyantha Fernando.
The petitioner, Chaminda Kularatne, was present in court when the plaint was called.
After considering the submissions made by counsel appearing for both the petitioner and the respondents, the bench ordered that the petition be taken up for consideration on 18 March, 2026, for the confirmation of facts.
The writ application highlighted several critical legal and procedural flaws:
Under the Parliamentary Staff Act, the Secretary General (1st Respondent) is the sole disciplinary authority.
The Parliamentary Staff Advisory Committee (PSAC) has no legal power to interdict staff, rendering its decision ultra vires and null and void.
The petitioner has alleged that the Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne acted out of malice to suspend him against the principles of administrative law and natural justice.
The petitioner has contended that the Speaker obtained a report containing false information from an unlawfully appointed inquiry officer and based the suspension on those findings.
The Speaker allegedly hand-picked an inquiry officer (8th Respondent) to conduct a preliminary inquiry without legal mandate, even though the Petitioner’s appointment and qualifications had already been officially confirmed and announced to the House in 2023.
At the time the decision was made, the PSAC was not lawfully constituted, as it lacked representatives from the Opposition and included members whose appointments did not meet statutory requirements.
Kularatne has petitioned the Court of Appeal, seeking Writs of Certiorari to quash the appointment of the investigating officer, the preliminary inquiry report, and the resulting interdiction imposed upon him. He further seeks the production and examination of records relating to the purported preliminary inquiry, together with relevant Right to Information (RTI) files, in order to expose the procedural irregularities, lack of lawful authority, and bias underlying the disciplinary process.
Kularatne is represented by a senior legal team, including President’s Counsel Sanjeeva Jayawardena.
In addition to the court case, further actions have been taken regarding alleged corruption. The suspended Deputy Secretary General has submitted a 7-page complaint to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption. The complaint detailed eight alleged acts of corruption committed by Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne and his Private Secretary, Chameera Gallege. A group of opposition Members of Parliament also filed a complaint with the Bribery Commission against Chameera Gallege.
They claim that Mr. Gallege interfered with the investigation by requesting a report from the Secretary General of Parliament regarding the initial complaint, thereby exerting undue influence on the proceedings.
Latest News
Heat Index at ‘Caution level’ in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in Anuradhapura, Mannar, Vavuniya and Monaragala districts
Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology
at 3.30 p.m. on 25 March 2026, valid for 26 March 2026.
The Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in
Anuradhapura, Mannar, Vavuniya and Monaragala districts.
The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.
Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.
ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.
Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry
of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
A spokesperson for the US Embassy in Colombo declared that the United States and Sri Lanka maintain a long-standing defence partnership, grounded in transparency, mutual respect, and shared interests.
The official said so in response to The Island query regarding President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s recent bombshell disclosure, in Parliament, that his government declined to allow the US Air Force to use the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, following the eruption of the latest West Asia war.
We sought views of the US on President Dissanayake’s claim against the backdrop of Sri Lanka being a party to the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) since 2007. Sri Lanka extended the ACSA in 2017, for another 10-year period, and its extension comes up next year.
The President revealed that the US had requested permission to use Mattala, between 04 and 08 March.
Claiming that the request had been made on 26 February, two days before the war began, President Dissanayake said that the US had sought to land two aircraft, carrying eight anti-ship missiles, but that the request had been turned down to maintain Sri Lanka’s neutrality. The President revealed that the aircraft were to come from a US base in Djibouti.
The US embassy pokesperson explained that questions related to operational movements, including ‘Operation Epic Fury’, should be directed to the Department of War (DOW) in Washington.
Camp Lemonnier is the primary base of operations for US Africa Command in the Horn of Africa. China, too, has its only overseas military base in Djibouti in the vicinity.
Military sources said whatever various interested parties said about US-Sri Lanka relations, the former provided significant intelligence support during last phase of the conflict that enabled the Navy to hunt down floating LTTE arsenals in international waters. Of the eight LTTE vessels sunk, the US backed four hits with specific intelligence, sources said.
News
No decrease in remittances from workers due to Gulf conflict, but significant drop in tourist arrivals – CB Governor
Sri Lanka’s worker remittances had not seen a decrease despite the ongoing conflict in West Asia, Central Bank (CBSL) Governor, Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe said yesterday.
“Based on currently available data, they have not seen a decline in remittances. In fact, according to that we have observed, is a slight increase in remittances in the past few days, ” the Governor said at a media conference held at the Central Bank head office in Colombo.
Governor Weerasinghe also mentioned that he had not seen any reports about Sri Lankans returning to the country from the Middle East due to the ongoing conflict.
The Central Bank Governor, however, acknowledged that there had been a decrease in tourist arrivals. He confirmed that tourist arrivals had decreased by around 17 percent due to the current volatile situation in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka has decided to maintain the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) at the current level of 7.75%, following its latest Monetary Policy Board meeting.
By Hiran H Senewiratne
UN votes to recognise enslavement of Africans as ‘gravest crime against humanity’
Meta and YouTube found liable in landmark social media addiction trial
Showers expected in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts after 2.00 pm.
Heat Index at ‘Caution level’ in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in Anuradhapura, Mannar, Vavuniya and Monaragala districts
US dodges question on AKD’s claim SL denied permission for military aircraft to land
No decrease in remittances from workers due to Gulf conflict, but significant drop in tourist arrivals – CB Governor
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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