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Ranil plays role of one man Opposition raising pertinent questions

Published

5 years ago

2021/12/9

Prabath

(L-R) Ranil Wickremesinghe, Shehan Semasinghe

By Saman Indrajith

UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe on Tuesday (07) asked the government to reveal to Parliament why the Finance Minister visited India during the budget debate.
Raising a privilege issue in Parliament, Wickremesinghe said that the government had promised to present details on the foreign currency reserves to the House the week before, but had not done so.

“However, the government has failed to do so until now. Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa is on an official visit to India at the moment. They presented to India the information we have asked for. Why can’t the Finance Minister reveal this information to this House,” the UNP leader queried.

Wickremesinghe said that the Central Bank Governor had, at an online forum, said that Sri Lanka’s foreign currency reserve was about USD 1.5 billion now. “Why do you hesitate to reveal this to us? This is actually a violation of our privileges. The Finance Minister should be in the House during the budget debate. This is the first time in which a budget debate is being held without the presence of a Finance Minister.”

The UNP leader asked the government if it was following the ‘Cabraal Way’ or the ‘Rajapaksa Way’.

Smurdhi, Household Economy, Micro Finance, Self-Employment and Business Development State Minister Shehan Semasinghe said that the government only followed the President’s Policy Statement, and added that there was only one leader in the government.

Semasinghe said that a detailed answer to the questions raised by Wickremesinghe and other MPs regarding the economic situation in the country, including the foreign currency reserves, was being prepared and it would be presented to the House very soon.

Leader of the House Dinesh Gunawardena said the Finance Minister attended the debate from time to time.

“When there are special meetings and events, he has to attend them. I know about the conduct of past Finance Ministers. I also was a Finance Minister back then,” Minister Gunawardena said.

UNP leader Wickremesinghe said that no Finance Minister had visited foreign countries during budget debates. “Can you tell us why? Did he go to India on a pilgrimage?” he queried.

State Minister Semasinghe: “The Finance Minister has done his duties properly. He attended several sittings. The problem is Wickremesinghe does not attend the sittings regularly.”

UNP leader Wickremesinghe: “The CBSL Governor said that the government would not kneel before other nations. Then why did the Finance Minister go to India?”
State minister Semasinghe said the UNP leader was single-handedly performing the job of an entire Opposition. “I thank him for that. The Opposition Leader and the SJB never ask questions like this. The SJB fled Parliament because they cannot face the people now,” the Minister said.

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Landslide Early Warnings issued to the districts of Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Hambanthota, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matara, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura

Published

4 hours ago

2026/09/26

Priyan

The National Building Research Institute has issued landslide early warnings to the districts of Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Hambanthota, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matara, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura from 16:00 hrs on 25.09.2026 To 16:00 hrs on 26.09.2026

Accordingly,
LEVEL III [RED] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Neluwa, Nagoda, Niyagama and Thawalama inthe Galle district, Ganga Ihala Korale, Udapalatha, Doluwa and Pasbage Korale in the Kandy district, and Kothmale West, Ambagamuwa, Kotmale East and Norwood in the Nuwara Eliya district.

LEVEL II [AMBER] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Elpitiya, Baddegama and Karandeniya in the Galle district, Walallawita in the Kalutara district, Deltota, Udunuwara, Gangawata Korale, Yatinuwara and Panvila in the Kandy district, Aranayake, Dehiowita, Mawanella, Deraniyagala and Yatiyanthota in the Kegalle district, Thalawakelle in the Nuwara Eliya district and Ratnapura and Pelmadulla in the Ratnapura district.

LEVEL I [YELLOW] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Seethawaka and Padukka in the Colombo district, Attanagalla and Mirigama in the Gampaha district, Katuwana and Walasmulla in the Hambanthota district, Ingiriya and Bulathsinhala in the Kalutara district, Hatharaliyadda, Poojapitiya, Medadumbara, Kundasale, Ududumbara, Thumpane, Akurana, Pathadumbara, Harispattuwa and Pathahewaheta in the Kandy district, Warakapola, Bulathkohupitiya, Galigamuwa, Kegalle and Ruwanwella in the Kegalle district, Mallawapitiya, Alawwa, Polgahawela and Mawathagama in the Kegalle district, Pitabeddara, Kotapola and Pasgoda in the Matara district, Nuwara Eliya in the Nuwara Eliya district and Elapatha, Ayagama, Nivithigala, Kuruwita and Kalawana in the Ratnapura district

News

22A, Judicature Amendment Bills passed with 2/3 majority

Published

5 hours ago

2026/09/26

Thilina Walpola

Parliament yesterday passed the Twenty-Second Amendment to the Constitution Bill and the Judicature (Amendment) Bill with two-thirds majorities, with 158 MPs voting in favour and 63 against each Bill.

The Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) voted with the SJB against the Bills.

NDF MPs Ravi Karunanayake and Faizer Musthapha and SJB Badulla District MP Nayana Wasalathilaka were not present when the votes were taken.

The final vote on the Judicature (Amendment) Bill was announced at around 8.08 p.m. after Opposition MPs called for divisions on its clauses during the Committee Stage.

The votes followed a two-day debate which commenced on Thursday (24), after Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara presented the Bills for their Second Reading.

The Supreme Court’s determination on the Bills was presented to Parliament on Tuesday (22) by Speaker Dr Jagath Wickramaratne. The Court determined that the 22nd Amendment Bill did not require approval at a referendum and could be passed by a special two-thirds majority in Parliament.

The amendment provides for raising the mandatory retirement age of Supreme Court judges from 65 to 67 and that of Court of Appeal judges from 63 to 65. It also provides for the Chief Justice to retire at 67 or after completing six years in office, whichever comes earlier.

The Speaker informed Parliament that the Judicature (Amendment) Bill could be passed by a simple majority.

The SJB opposed the legislation and its MPs attended Parliament dressed in black yesterday. The party also staged a protest at Polduwa Junction, Battaramulla, under the theme “No to 22, which destroys democracy”, with Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and several SJB politicians participating.

News

TIN mandatory for key transactions from Nov. 1

Published

5 hours ago

2026/09/26

Thilina Walpola

A valid Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) Certificate will be required for a range of key transactions in Sri Lanka from November 1, 2026, the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has announced.

The requirement, introduced under the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Act, No. 11 of 2026, applies to transactions specified under Section 102(3) of the Inland Revenue Act.

Accordingly, individuals will be required to produce a valid TIN Certificate when opening an account at a bank or financial institution, obtaining approval for a building plan, registering or renewing the licence of a motor vehicle, registering land or title to land, registering a business, transferring shares in a company incorporated in Sri Lanka or obtaining a credit card.

In the case of share transfers, both the transferor and transferee will be required to provide TIN certificates.

The IRD said officials handling such transactions had been instructed to ensure that a valid TIN Certificate was submitted before processing or completing the relevant transaction.

The Department advised those who do not already have a TIN to obtain one in advance through its e-Services platform.

It said a printout of the TIN verification result showing the applicant’s National Identity Card number and TIN could also be accepted instead of the certificate.The IRD also reiterated that obtaining a TIN is mandatory for resident individuals aged 18 and above under the applicable provisions.