26 Apr 2024 - 29     - 2016

Refuting reports that Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa avoided meeting visiting Iranian President Dr. Ebrahim Raisi, SJB MP Nalin Bandara said today that Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa did not get an appointment from the Iranian Embassy to meet the Iranian President.

26 Apr 2024 - 14     - 372

Claiming that poor quality rice is being distributed among people in some areas under the government’s programme to distribute free rice for April and May, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa today urged the government to launch an investigation into this incident.

26 Apr 2024 - 12     - 3969

A massive scam is being operated where money is transferred from current and savings accounts to other multiple accounts without any notice to the account holder, an Opposition MP revealed in Parliament.

25 Apr 2024 - 32     - 1882

National People’s Power (NPP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake is scheduled to leave for Sweden tonight, party sources said.

24 Apr 2024 - 26     - 1146

The National People’s Power (NPP) today requested Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) leader Sajith Premadasa to propose a date convenient to him if he is unable to participate in any of the four days proposed by the NPP for the public debate between the two leaders.

24 Apr 2024 - 14     - 730

The incinerator built in Wanathavilluwa for the purpose of destroying narcotic drugs produced before courts will be opened next month, Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said today.

24 Apr 2024 - 0     - 646

Claiming that the police and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are looking into the incidents of Sri Lankans being trafficked for military services in Russia and Ukraine, Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe informed Parliament that Public Security Minister Tiran Alles will make a statement regarding the matter in Parliament tomorrow.

24 Apr 2024 - 17     - 790

The three-day adournment debate on the Easter Sunday attacks commenced in Parliament today.

24 Apr 2024 - 3     - 1387

M.G. Weerasena was sworn in as a Member of Parliament before Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena today.

23 Apr 2024 - 16     - 1278

Sri Lanka took minimal steps to identify and punish officials who may have committed human rights abuses, the 2023 report issued by the US State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour on Sri Lanka’s Human Rights Practices has alleged.

23 Apr 2024 - 6     - 872

With the commissioning of the Uma Oya Hydro Power Plant tomorrow, 120 MW generation capacity will be added to the national grid and reduce the cost of energy, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara said today.

23 Apr 2024 - 23     - 1544

A top delegation of the Chinese Communist Party headed by Vice Minister of the International Department, Sun Haiyan met National People’s Power (NPP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the JVP head office today.

22 Apr 2024 - 22     - 2367

Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, who took up the position as the Acting Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) could lose his parliamentary seat, according to the party constitution of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), SLPP MP Tissa Kuttiarachchi said today.

21 Apr 2024 - 36     - 2023

Claiming that people will not vote as a gratitude for goods distributed by politicians, Minister Prasanna Ranatunge said people have already selected Ranil Wickremesinghe for Presidency as he can rescue the country from the economic crisis.

21 Apr 2024 - 6     - 608

Sri Lanka remains steadfast in its commitment to reaching the debt restructuring targets and is confident of smooth progress in the continued good-faith engagements for a speedy debt resolution that will ensure debt sustainability and comparability of debt treatment, State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe said.

19 Apr 2024 - 8     - 1522

Steps are being taken to obtain the official certification of ’Blue Flag Beaches’ for Unawatuna, Bentota, Pasikuda and Arugam Bay, the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) said.

18 Apr 2024 - 24     - 3050

The National People’s Power (NPP) today presented to Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith its 7-point statement pledging to mete out justice to the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks.

18 Apr 2024 - 31     - 1323

The National People’s Power (NPP) said that a future NPP government will appoint a special Commission of Inquiry with full judicial powers to further investigate the facts

16 Apr 2024 - 4     - 382

Sri Lanka commenced the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group (IMF/WBG) Spring meeting with a very productive bilateral discussion with Kenji Okamura, Deputy Managjng Director of the IMF, State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe said.

15 Apr 2024 - 19     - 1394

Claiming that only vehicle imports have been restricted by now, State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said today that a committee is studying the possibility of permitting vehicle imports on a priority basis in the future.

14 Apr 2024 - 1     - 1018

The Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Meteorology Department has issued a weather warning for thundershowers accompanied by severe lightning at several places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Central and North-Western Provinces.

10 Apr 2024 - 29     - 1256

Claiming that NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake first invited SJB leader Sajith Premadasa for a debate, the National People’s Power (NPP) said some members of the Samagi Jana Balavegaya were now attempting to divert the attention from the original debate.

09 Apr 2024 - 7     - 1224

A Parliamentary Committee has revealed that CCTV camera equipment that had been purchased at a cost of Rs. 2.1 million to be fixed at the internal premises of the Immigration and Emigration head office had been stored for six years without being fixed.

05 Apr 2024 - 54     - 2704

Claiming that both Sinhala and Tamil people have a right to interact with the State in their own languages, NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that the proportion of the Tamil youth in public institutions, tri-forces and important sectors should be increased.

04 Apr 2024 - 11     - 503

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has directed officials to develop a formal programme aimed at maintaining essential and public services seamlessly during the upcoming Sinhala and Tamil New Year season.

02 Apr 2024 - 13     - 2545

The order under the Value Added Tax (VAT) which proposed to increase the VAT percentage from 15 percent to 18 percent was passed in Parliament with a majority of 36 votes.

02 Apr 2024 - 36     - 2036

The National People’s Power (NPP) today invited Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa for a public debate on economic policies with NPP leader and presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

02 Apr 2024 - 4     - 587

Parliament sessions were suspended till 4.00 pm today by Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapakse due to the absence of both Government and Opposition MPs to speak in the debate scheduled for today.

02 Apr 2024 - 7     - 1094

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has appointed W.K.D. Wijerathne as the Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

02 Apr 2024 - 12     - 1006

The Central Environment Authority (CEA) has launched a comprehensive investigation into the incident where a Singapore cargo ship was carrying hazardous materials to Sri Lanka from the US, State Minister of Environment Janaka Wakkumbura said today.

01 Apr 2024 - 27     - 1352

Sri Lanka today donated USD 01 million as aid to Gaza’s conflict-affected children, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

01 Apr 2024 - 5     - 1556

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) met with National People’s Power (NPP) today at the JVP Head Office, party sorces said.

01 Apr 2024 - 18     - 1838

The government today withdrew the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill which calls to reduce the consent age for sex to 14 years.

31 Mar 2024 - 23     - 1093

Claiming that the ’Yukthiya’ operation nets only the minor offenders, NPP politburo member Samantha Vidyaratne said the National People’s Power (NPP) will launch the real ’Yukthiya’ operation under its government.

29 Mar 2024 - 23     - 2143

The minimum expenditure required by a person to fulfill the basic needs for a month has gone up by 144 per cent in January, 2024 when compared to 2019, the Official Poverty Line declared by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) has revealed.

29 Mar 2024 - 5     - 498

The Special Commodity Levy that was imposed to protect the local famers and producers will be scrapped from January next year and a new tax system based on seasons will be introduced, State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said today.

28 Mar 2024 - 34     - 2638

Claiming that the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) has no suitable Presidential candidate at the moment, Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said Namal Rajapaksa can contest for Presidency only after another five to ten years’ time.

28 Mar 2024 - 5     - 535

The special commodity levy on rice was reduced not to allow import of rice but to clear a stock of rice currently stuck with the Customs, State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said today.

27 Mar 2024 - 32     - 4743

Former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella’s daughter Chamithri Rambukwella lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) today claiming that her father’s human rights have been violated due to his arbitrary arrest.

27 Mar 2024 - 39     - 1235

The Government Valuation Department and the Office for Reparations have been instructed to expedite the compensation process for the movable and immovable property that were set on fire by the ’Aragalaya’ protestors in the Gampaha district on May 9, 2022.

26 Mar 2024 - 19     - 1379

Government vehicles which are running at a cost of Rs. 300 per kilometre can be run at a cost of 100 a research paper submitted to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Energy and Transport has revealed.

25 Mar 2024 - 9     - 1828

Claiming that the CID official who led the investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks will head the National People’s Power’s (NPP’s) Retired Police Forum which is to be launched this May, NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said they will implement law against those who were responsible for the attacks.

24 Mar 2024 - 31     - 2054

The National People’s Power (NPP) will not allow the government to implement the proposed Constitutional Amendments to introduce a new parliamentary electoral system before the Presidential polls, NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said.

24 Mar 2024 - 4     - 1474

Claiming that former President Maithripala Sirisena is now contradicting his recent statement that he was well aware of the true perpetrators of the Easter Sunday bombings, NPP MP Vijitha Herath today urged the government to launch an immediate probe over the remark as it is a serious statement to have been made by the then Head of State and Minister of Defence.

23 Mar 2024 - 46     - 1641

Claiming that a government with a simple majority is not sufficent to make the expected social change and revive the bankrupt economy, NPP General Secretary Tilvin Silva said today that the NPP hopes to form a stronger government.

22 Mar 2024 - 12     - 1868

The Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus has requested Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe to take steps to withdraw the bill gazetted to amend Chapter 19 of the Penal Code which seeks to reduce the consent age for sex to 14.

22 Mar 2024 - 1     - 665

Ten more suspected criminals of underworld gangs were arrested yesterday during the special operation launched to crack down on organized criminal activities.

21 Mar 2024 - 60     - 2834

COPE Chairman MP Rohitha Abeygunawardane asked today if he was fit to be elected as a Member of Parliament, why he cannot function as the Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE).

21 Mar 2024 - 7     - 1272

The Viyathmaga had no connection to the economic crisis and the expulsion of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa from office, Parliamentarian Nalaka Godahewa said today.

21 Mar 2024 - 6     - 609

Opposition MP Dilan Perera resigned from the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) today.

20 Mar 2024 - 13     - 1304

State Tourism Minister Diana Gamage today urged the Public Security Minister to take swift action to stop foreign tourists on visit visas engaging in business activities in Sri Lanka, claiming that it poses serious threats to local businessmen.

20 Mar 2024 - 15     - 2054

NPP leader and MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake informed Parliament today that he too has decided to resign from the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE).

20 Mar 2024 - 22     - 2235

National People’s Power (NPP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake is leaving for Canada this evening, party sources said.

20 Mar 2024 - 1     - 854

Opposition MP Wasantha Yapa Bandara, who was appointed to the Committee on Public Enterprises ( COPE) today, announced that he would resign as a member.

20 Mar 2024 - 8     - 1688

The Committee on Public Finance (COPF) today recommended in its report that the Central Bank postpones the salary increase of its employees.

19 Mar 2024 - 13     - 1055

The government is planning to issue licenses to open 200 wine stores under the FL4 category and 15 of them have already been issued, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa alleged in Parliament today.

19 Mar 2024 - 20     - 1467

Both sides discussed the current economic crisis and the political situation in Sri Lanka at length, and attention was also paid to the upcoming Presidential election.

19 Mar 2024 - 13     - 1870

The Central Bank has no powers to increase the salaries of its employees without the approval of Parliament in terms of the Constitution and the move to increase their salaries is wrong, Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said today.

19 Mar 2024 - 8     - 601

The Party leaders have decided to debate the no-confidence motion against Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardhane for three days.

19 Mar 2024 - 8     - 1856

A tense situation erupted in Parliament after a group of Tamil National Alliance MPs staged a protest inside the Chamber over the arrest of eight persons who were engaged in religious observances at the Vedukkunaarimalai Athi Lingeswarar Shrine on Maha Sivarathri night.