News
TN Assembly adopts resolution urging Centre to send assistance to Lanka

The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Union government to positively consider the request of the Tamil Nadu government immediately to send food and other essential commodities, including life saving medicines from Tamil Nadu to the people of Sri Lanka, who are facing severe hardships, due to the economic crisis here, said a news report published online by The Hindu.
The Hindu report filed from Chennai said: Though the Tamil Nadu government addressed the Union government to permit the State Government to send essential commodities, including rice, pulses and milk products and life saving medicines to the people of Sri Lanka, “so far no clear reply has been received from the Government of India” in this regard, the resolution read. All political parties represented in the House, including the BJP, supported the resolution moved by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.
The Tamil Nadu government has decided to send 40,000 tonne of rice valued at ?80 crore, 137 medicines valued at 2 I crore2 and 500 tonne of milk powder meant for children valued at ?15 crore for the people of Sri Lanka. “These could not be sent directly but only through the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka,” the chief minister pointed out and recalled his meetings with the Prime Minister and communicationd with Union External Affairs Minister in this regard.
Elaborating on the hardships being experienced by people in Sri Lanka, Mr. Stalin contended: “We cannot view this as a problem in a neighbouring country. We cannot see who is in power there and what kind of people they are. We have to extend our help to the extent possible.” Though he initially wanted to help Tamils living in Sri Lanka, Tamils in the neighbouring island urged the CM against sending help only for Tamils in Sri Lanka (and excluding the Sinhalese), he said.
Quoting from the Thirukkural — ‘As hand of him whose vesture slips away, friendship at once the coming grief will stay’ (Couplet 788), Stalin contended that help on humanitarian grounds was to be extended while they were in need. “The people of Tamil Nadu are expecting the same.”
Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu, Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Congress legislator K. Selvaperunthagai (Sriperumbudur), PMK’s G.K. Mani (Pennagaram), BJP’s Nainar Nagenthran (Tirunelveli), VCK’s J. Mohamed Shanavas (Nagapattinam), CPM’s V.P. Nagaimaali (Kilvelur), CPI’s K. Marimuthu (Tiruthuraipoondi), Vasudevanallur MLA T. Sathan Thirumalai Kumar, Papanasam MLA M.H. Jawahirullah, Thiruchengodu MLA E.R. Eswaran, Panruti MLA T. Velmurugan and K.V. Kuppam MLA M. Jagan Moorthy spoke in support of the resolution.
Following a voice vote, Speaker M. Appavu declared that the resolution was adopted unanimously.
News
LG Commissioners in dilemma over guidelines and Elections Act

Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Reforms and Electoral Studies (IRES) Manjula Gajanayake has said the Local Government Commissioners have created confusion and a severe erosion of public trust in the electoral process at local level by adhering to election laws and administrative guidelines selectively without adopting a consistent approach.
The authority to establish local government bodies— particularly the hung ones––has been granted to the Local Government Commissioners in the nine provinces. However, this process has now sparked controversy largely due to ambiguity over how to elect council heads.
At the heart of the issue is the Local Government Elections Act, which does not specify the procedures to be followed in electing the heads of local bodies. To address this issue, the Secretary to the Ministry of Local Government and Provincial Councils has issued a 28-page set of guidelines. This guideline gained much attention during the election of the Mayor of the Colombo Municipal Council, where opposition members claimed that the head of the council had to be elected according to the guidelines in question. However, the guidelines merely state, “Each member should be consulted, and the method of voting should be decided accordingly.”
The Opposition seemed to have ignored that there were three acceptable methods of voting––by a show of hands, through a secret ballot, or by using an electronic system, Gajanayake said. Still, the real issue lies in the application of the guidelines by the Local Government Commissioners.
For instance, the Western Province Commissioner opted for a secret ballot in the Colombo MC. In contrast, in many other councils, the voting method was determined based on the preference of the majority of members. In Local Government Institutions in Uva, North Central, and North Western provinces, where members called for open votes by the show of hands— the commissioners complied.
However, inconsistency re-emerged in the first meeting of the Seethawakapura Urban Council of the Colombo District in the Western Province. Out of 25 members,14 requested an open vote. The Commissioner, however, insisted on a secret ballot. As a result, all 14 members walked out in protest, and the meeting was adjourned without electing a head.
By PRIYAN DE SILVA ✍️
News
Hotel shooting: Weligama police probe riddled with flaws, CID tells committee

CID Director of Investigations Ashoka Shelton Karunathilaka told the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee probing the interdicted IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon that numerous flaws had been found in the investigations carried out by the Weligama Police into a shooting incident at the W15 Hotel.
Giving evidence before the special inquiry committee, chaired by Supreme Court Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, Karunathilaka said that the Weligama Police had proceeded with their investigation riddled with flaws. “Even the locations of spent bullet casings at the crime scene were not properly marked. There was a mismatch between the empty bullet casings and the recovered ammunition. Additionally, CCTV footage from the crime scene area shows inconsistencies.These investigative shortcomings were the reason why legal action was taken against the OIC of the Weligama Police Criminal Investigation Division. Moreover, no proper investigation was carried out into the police officer who was fatally shot.”.
The committee met for the eighth day on Wednesday, when seven witnesses testified. The final witness of the day was Karunathilaka, who pointed out the deficiencies in the initial investigations by the Weligama Police.
At this point, counsel S. Weerawikrama, representing Deshabandu Tennakoon, questioned whether the warrant for Tennakoon’s arrest had been obtained under political or ministerial pressure.
Karunathilaka answered in the negative.
During the session, counsel Weerawikrama raised his voice while cross-examining the witness, prompting one of the committee’s judges to advise him to ask questions without getting agitated.The day’s proceedings concluded with the committee recording the testimonies presented by the prosecution, led by Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris.
By Kamal Bogoda
News
Harshana resigns from Parliament

Secretary General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera has informed the Chairman of the Election Commission in writing that a vacancy has arisen in Parliament due to the resignation of Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma.
Dr. Suriyapperuma, a National List Member of Parliament representing the NPP and the Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Stabilization, submitted his letter of resignation to the Secretary General of Parliament, Kushani Rohanadeera.
According to the letter submitted by Dr Suriyapperuma, the resignation is effective from June 20, 2025.
Accordingly, the Secretary General has informed the Chairman of the Election Commission that, in terms of Section 64(5) of the Parliamentary Elections Act No. 1 of 1981, the seat held by Dr Harsha Suriyapperuma in the Tenth Parliament is now vacant.
Speculation was rife at the time of going to press that Dr. Suriyapperuma would be appointed Secretary to the Finance Ministry.
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