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Sumanthiran launches blistering attack on Supreme Court

Published

3 years ago

2022/10/23

Seeks rehabilitation of cabinet

Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court on Thursday came under a scathing attack in parliament during the debate on the 22nd constitutional amendment with TNA legislator M. A. Sumanthiran accusing the highest judiciary of swinging like a pendulum. In his blistering speech on Thursday, the TNA lawmaker accused the supreme court justices of inconsistencies and said they appeared unable to read and understand their own determinations of just a few years ago. Sumanthiran said the same court which had allowed the 19th amendment to pass without a referendum in 2015 was now demanding a nation-wide plebiscite.

“It’s not only the parliament that swings like a pendulum,” Sumanthiran said. “It is (also) the Supreme Court, so change that Supreme Court also. Ask them to go home.” “If they can’t read and understand their own determination in the 19th Amendment, with the very same words, within a few years, they said no, this requires a referendum.

How can that be? They’re supposed to be learned?” He also discounted claims by the government that the 22nd amendment was reducing the powers of the presidency and insisted that there was no radical reform in the bill to move towards the abolition of the much-maligned executive presidency.

“You are lying to the people saying this is a first step towards that (abolition), when in fact, none of the powers of the executive president are taken away by this bill. It is false. You’re lying to the people of this country,” he said.

However, he said there was nothing objectionable in the bill except that it could undermine people’s confidence in parliament and their elected representatives to deliver on promised political reforms.

“I must say, there are no harmful provisions in this bill. But the harm is that you are showing the country something when it is not. And that is potentially harmful, because the confidence that people have in these institutions have been eroded, and now totally destroyed.”

After his outburst against the Supreme Court, Sumanthiran later applauded the same court for shooting down the controversial Bureau of Rehabilitation which envisaged the arbitrary detention of people for “de-radicalisation and rehabilitation.”

The bill was similar to regulations promulgated by deposed President Gotabaya Rajapaksa earlier last year under the Prevention of Terrorism Act to hold anyone for up to two years for ” de-radicalisation and rehabilitation” without judicial approval or oversight.

“Of course, today, there was a good determination,” Sumanthiran said referring to the highest court saying that the bill cannot pass without a referendum.

“On the Bureau of rehabilitation bill, we said withdraw it. It goes against the fundamental principles that a person must be presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, not to be just rounded up and taken and put into rehabilitation.

“And I don’t know why the minister even presented this bill in his House. I’ve asked the question publicly whether the cabinet should be rehabilitated for even presenting this bill.”

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Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Badulla, Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya

Published

10 hours ago

2026/01/8

Priyan

The Landslide Early Warning Center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued landslide early warnings to the districts of Badulla, Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya for the next 24 hours commencing at 1200hrs today [08]

Accordingly
LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Ududumbara in the Kandy District, Wilgamuwa in the Matale District, and Nildandahinna and Walapane in the Nuwara Eliya District.

LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Meegahakiwula, Welimada, Kandaketiya, Lunugala, Badulla, Passara, Uva Paranagama and Hali_Ela in the Badulla District, Ambanganga Korale in the Matale District, and Mathurata and Hanguranketha in the Nuwara Eliya District.

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Warning for deep depression over South-east Bay of Bengal Sea area

Published

15 hours ago

2026/01/8

Priyan

Deep depression Track. [Source: RSMC]

Warning for deep depression over South-east Bay of Bengal Sea area.
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre, Department of Meteorology at 10.30 a.m. on 08 January 2026 for the period until 10.30 a.m. 09 January 2026

The depression in the Bay of Bengal to the southeast of Sri Lanka has intensified into a deep depression and is centered near latitude 5.4°N and longitude 85.3°E, about 420 km southeast of Pottuvil at 05.30 a.m. today (08th). The above system is currently (10:00 a.m.) located about 300 km southeast of Pottuvil.

It is very likely to move west-northwestwards across the southwest Bay of Bengal and cross the Sri Lanka coast between Hambantota and Kalmunai between 5.30 p.m. to 11.30 p.m. on Friday [9th January 2026].

Hence, showery, and windy condition over the island, particularly in the Northern, NorthCentral, Eastern, Uva and Central provinces is expected to enhance from today (08th).

For the Land area:

DAMAGE EXPECTED:
• Damage to huts, temporary shelters and light structures
• Destroy the roof tops/ sheets etc.
• Damage to power and communication lines.
• Breaking of tree branches and uprooting of large avenue trees.
• Damage to paddy crops, banana, papaya trees and orchards.
• Damage to harbor yachts
• Flash flood
• Sea water inundation in low lying areas in the near coast.

Action suggested for the Land area:
• Coastal hutment dwellers are advised to move to safer places. Other people in the affected areas to remain indoors.
• People living in hilly areas (particularly landslide prone areas) and low lying areas in river basins are requested to be vigilant.
• Drivers and people using roads in the hilly areas are requested to be vigilant.
• Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
• Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
• General public is requested to be vigilant regarding impending extreme weather situation.
• For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.
• Requested to be attentive about future advisories issued by the Department of Meteorology in this regard.

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Showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Eastern and Uva provinces and showers about 50-75 mm in other areas

Published

21 hours ago

2026/01/8

Priyan

WEATHER FORECAST FOR 08 JANUARY 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 08 January 2026 by the Department of Meteorology

The depression over the Bay of Bengal, located to the southeast of Sri Lanka, was centered near latitude 5.3°N and longitude 86.0°E, about 490 km southeast of Pottuvil, at 11:30 p.m. yesterday (07). It is expected to move west-northwestwards and towards the eastern coast of the island during next 24 hours. This system is likely to intensify further into a deep depression during the next 12 hours.

Cloudy skies can be expected over most parts of the island.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Northern, North-central, Eastern, Uva, Central and Southern provinces. Showers or thundershowers may occur at several places elsewhere in the Island after 1.00 p.m. Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Eastern and Uva provinces. Fairly Heavy showers about (50 – 75) mm are likely at some places in the other areas of the island.

Strong winds about (50-60) kmph can be expected at times over the Eastern slopes of the central hills, the Northern, North-central, North-western and Eastern provinces and in Hambantota, Gampaha, Colombo and Monaragala districts.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.