The Court of Appeal, on Monday, heard a writ petition challenging the Defence Ministry’s decision to issue 13,207 firearms to farmers in December 2024, with the State revealing that fewer than half of the weapons have been legally licensed.

Deputy Solicitor General Dr. Avanti Perera told the bench that licences had been issued for only 5,000 of the firearms distributed under the crop-protection programme.

The petition, filed by the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka, was taken up before Justices Rohantha Abeysuriya and K. Priyantha Fernando. The petitioners argue that the weapons distributed “indiscriminately” are being used to kill elephants, a strictly protected species under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance (FFPO).

President’s Counsel Sanjeeva Jayawardena, appearing for the petitioner, said the organisation was satisfied that the Minister would honour the Attorney General’s earlier undertaking to implement the National Action Plan for Human-Elephant Conflict mitigation as required under Section 68A of the FFPO.

However, he stressed that the core concerns remained unresolved, especially the “uncontrolled circulation of firearms” resulting from the mass distribution. Citing the DSG’s disclosure, he said several thousand unlicensed weapons were now “unaccounted for,” posing severe risks.

Jayawardena PC urged the authorities to halt further distribution, trace and recover already issued firearms, and prosecute individuals unlawfully in possession of them. The petitioner seeks orders to stop what it describes as the “wanton, en masse issuance” of guns and to replace it with a scientifically grounded strategy to manage the human-elephant conflict.

The Court of Appeal directed the Attorney General to report on further measures to address the concerns raised. The case was fixed for mention on 06 February, 2026.

Sanjeeva Jayawardena PC appeared for the petitioner with Counsel Prashanthi Mahindraratne, Dilumi de Alwis and Lakmini Warusevitane.

DSG Dr. Avanti Perera appeared for the respondents.

By A.J.A. Abeynayake

The Education Ministry has extended the deadline for submitting Grade 06 applications following the re-survey of Grade 05 Scholarship Examination results, citing the ongoing disaster situation.

Principals began accepting applications from students whose scholarship results were revised and uploading them to the online system from 26 November 2025. The online submission, initially set to close on 5 December, will now remain open until 12 December 2025.

The Ministry also clarified that the process for submitting first appeals for Grade 06 admissions in 2026 has not yet started, dismissing social media claims suggesting otherwise as false.

Officials said first-round admission appeals for Grade 06 (2026) are scheduled for January 2026. Online appeals to fill any remaining vacancies will open only after the first-round admissions are completed.

The landslide early warning center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has extended the  Level III RED landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale until 1600hrs on 11th December 2025.

Accordingly,
The LEVEL III RED landslide warnings issued to the the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Kundasale, Pasbage Korale, Medadumbara, Ganga Ihala Korale, Hatharaliyadda, Pathadumbara, Doluwa, Panvila, Gangawata Korale, Ududumbara, Akurana, Yatinuwara, Harispattuwa, Deltota, Thumpane, Poojapitiya, Udapalatha, Udunuwara, Minipe and Pathahewaheta in the Kandy district, Aranayaka, Yatiyanthota, Rambukkana, Bulathkohupitiya and Mawanella in the Kegalle district, Mallawapitiya, Mawathagama and Rideegama in the Kurunegala district, and Rattota, Laggala Pallegama, Ukuwela, Matale, Wilgamuwa, Pallepola, Naula, Yatawatta and Ambanganga Korale in the Matale district have been extended.

LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have been  issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Hali_Ela, Meegahakivula, Badulla, Kandeketiya, Bandarawela, Soranathota, Ella, Haputhale, Lunugala, Welimada, Haldummulla and Passara in the Badulla district, Warakapola, Galigamuwa, Kegalle, Dehiowita, Ruwanwella and Deraniyagala in the Kegalle district, Polgahawela and Alawwa in the Kurunegala district, Kothmale East, Walapane, Thalawakele, Nuwara Eliya, Kothmale West, Nildandahinna, Mathurata, Ambagamuwa Korale, Hanguranketha and Norwood in the Nuwara Eliya district. and Kolonna, Godakawela and Kahawaththa in the Ratnapura district.

LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been  issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Divulapitiya, Attanagalla and Mirigama in the Gampaha district, Narammala in the Kurunegala district, and Kiriella, Eheliyagoda, Balangoda, Kaltota, Openayake, Nivithigala, Imbulpe, Ayagama, Kuruwita, Kalawana, Elapatha, Pelmadulla and Ratnapura in the Ratnapura district.