News
SLPP MP draws attention of parliament to many shortcomings in election process
By Saman Indrajith
The election deposit that must be submitted by an independent candidate to contest an election had remained the same since 1981 while no deposits were required for recognised political parties, Parliament was told on Wednesday (23).
Opening the adjournment debate on the performance report of the Election Commission, SLPP National List MP Sagara Kariyawasam told Parliament that independent candidates had been required to deposit just Rs. 2,000 when contesting an election since 1981 while recognised political parties did not have to make any deposit. “We need to increase the amount to be deposited by a candidate,” Kariyawasam insisted.
MP Kariyawasam thanked the Election Commission and its staff for having conducted the 2020 parliamentary election in a free and fair manner and in a peaceful atmosphere. “In addition, the election was held in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and measures were adopted to ensure that the election did not result in the spread of the disease within the country is laudable.”
Nevertheless, he noted that the gazetting of the candidates’ preferential vote numbers had been delayed due to disagreements among the three members of the Election Commission. “The Commission has three members and the quorum for a meeting is also three. As such, it is clear that increasing the number of members of the commission to five is sensible.”
Kariyawasam stressed that due to the severe restrictions imposed on election propaganda, only candidates who had enough financial resources could advertise on electronic and print media.
MP Kariyawasam also pointed out that many of those engaged in essential services continued to be disenfranchised as they were required to remain at work on election days. “As per current election laws, even those in the health sector such as doctors and nurses, employees working on expressways, staff of aviation services and those in the hotel industry are not entitled to postal voting. As such, it would be better to introduce advance voting for such persons on a day closer to the polling day at their places of work.”
The MP, however, pointed out that a large amount of funds was needed to carry out advance voting, which was one reason why the deposit money should be increased.
He said that given the massive workforce and effort that is needed to hold an election, it was time to explore the possibility of launching a pilot project on introducing electronic voting.
The Government Printer, Department of Posts, police and Government employees were yet to be paid for work they had done during the elections, Kariyawasam said.
Kariyawasam drew the attention of Parliament to a large number of rejected votes.
News
Cabinet nod to appoint Mrs. Tharani Kumaradasa to the Post of Commissioner of Cooperative Development / Cooperative Society Registrar
The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal
furnished by the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development to appoint Mrs. Tharani Kumaradasa, a Grade I officer in Sri Lanka Administrative Service, serving in a post of Senior Assistant Secretary at the Ministry of Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development to the post of Commissioner of Cooperative Development / Cooperative Society Registrar
News
Cabinet nod to hold 28th joint Asia Pacific Regional Social Workshop from 18-21 November in Sri Lanka
It has been planned to conduct the 28th Joint Asia-Pacific Regional Social Workshop from 18th November 2025 to 21st November 2025 in Sri Lanka, and 13 local representatives and 104 foreign representatives from 30 countries will participate in the said summit.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Rural Development, Social Security,
and Community Empowerment to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the National Social Development Institute and the Society of Professionals engaged in Sri Lankan social services to conduct the aforementioned workshop in Sri Lanka and obtain the necessary institutional support to
conduct the said summit.
As per the current national policy of the government to make public transport in Sri Lanka efficient and streamlined, the necessity of establishing multi-modal transport hubs with required facilities has been identified to enable efficient public transport services to be initiated from transit cities and main cities through the interconnection between transport modes.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved in principle the proposal presented by the Acting Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban Development to develop the following multi-modal transport hubs on a priority basis, with the objective of upgrading the interconnection of transport modes such as buses, trains, and taxi services by integrating bus stands and railway stations identified as having a growing passenger circulation on the island, subject to a formal feasibility study.
• Kandy Multimodal Transport Hub (Construction work has already been started under world bank financing)
• Anuradhapura (South) Multimodal Transport Hub (Constructions are about to be completed under the Anuradhapura combined urban development project)
• Anuradhapura (North) Multimodal Transport Hub (feasibility study has been performed and preliminary work completed)
• Multimodal Transport Hub centered around the Fort Railway Station (as proposed by the ComTrans Master Plan, which has been prepared for urban transport in Colombo and suburbs)
• Moratuwa Multimodal Transport Center (proposed by the ComTrans Master Plan)
• Ragama Multimodal Transport Center ( identified through a study conducted by the Japan International Coorperation Agency)
• Avissawella, Galle, Katunayake, Kurunegala Multimodal Transport Centers (identified according to the urban plans of the Urban Development Authority)
• Gampaha Multimodal Transport Center ((identified according to the urban plans of the Urban Development Authority and railway electrification of the Colombo Suburban Railway Project)
• Katunayake Multimodal Transport Hub (identified under the Airport Development Plan)
• Kaluthara Multimodal Transport Center (identified as a proposal of the District coordination Committee)
• Kankasanthure Multimodal Transport Center(identified according to the urban plans of the Urban Development Authority)
Suicide bombing in Islamabad kills 12, says Pakistan’s interior minister
Israel parliament passes first reading of death penalty for ‘terrorism’ law
Cabinet nod to appoint Mrs. Tharani Kumaradasa to the Post of Commissioner of Cooperative Development / Cooperative Society Registrar
Cabinet nod to hold 28th joint Asia Pacific Regional Social Workshop from 18-21 November in Sri Lanka
Establishment of multi-modal transport hubs
Cabinet approves restructuring of the Sri Lanka Housing Development Finance Corporation Bank and the State Mortgage and Investment Bank
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