The Cabinet has decided to present the Batalanda Commission report in Parliament soon, Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Nalinda Jayatissa has said.

Speaking during the weekly Cabinet briefing held today (March 11), the minister said, “The Batalanda Commission report will be tabled in Parliament this week, and following that, we will engage in discussions regarding the next steps.”

The Batalanda Report refers to an investigative document published in 1997 that detailed human rights violations, including illegal detention, torture, and abuse, which occurred in a state-sanctioned detention centre known as Batalanda during the late 1980s. It came into the spotlight after the recent interview by Al Jazeera with former PPresident Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The Matara Magistrate’s Court has issued an open warrant for the arrest of former IGP – Deshabandu Tennakoon.

A warrant was issued on Feb. 28 by the Matara Magistrate’s Court for his arrest over the shooting incident that occurred in front of the W15 hotel in Pelena, Matara on December 31, 2023.

Former President Maithripala Sirisena has paid the Rs. 1 million in compensation, which was ordered to be paid following the quashing of the presidential pardon granted to the convict in the Royal Park murder case, his lawyers have informed the Supreme Court.

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, which had previously considered the facts presented that the compensation had not been paid, issued an order this morning (11) directing that notice to be issued to Maithripala Sirisena.

(Previous news 2025 March 11 – 1.16.p.m.)

Supreme court issues notice to Maithripala

The Supreme Court has issued a notice to former President Maithripala Sirisena.

This is in relation to his failure to comply with a court order to pay compensation of one million rupees, following the revocation of the presidential pardon granted to Jude Shramantha Jayamaha, who was sentenced to death in the Royal Park murder case.

On June 6, 2024, the Supreme Court ruled that Mr. Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to pardon and release Jude Shramantha Jayamaha was unconstitutional, and ordered him to pay one million rupees in compensation to the petitioner.

When the petition was taken up today (March 11), President’s Counsel Sanjeewa Jayawardena, appearing for the petitioner, informed the court that Maithripala Sirisena has not yet paid the compensation.

Accordingly, the court ordered that a notice be issued to Mr. Sirisena, requesting him to appear and explain why he should not be punished for failing to pay the compensation.

It has been reported that former President Maithripala Sirisena has been ordered to appear before the court on April 29 in this regard.