During a meeting of the Committee on Public Enterprises (CoPE), it was revealed that ten students of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura were unjustly charged a monetary penalty in connection with damages caused to a university hostel due to a student clash.

The committee pointed out that the amount charged was three times the actual value of the damaged university property, which is the maximum amount that can be legally charged, along with an additional surcharge of 25%. Accordingly, the Vice-Chancellor of the university informed the committee that if there has been an error in the calculation of the charges, steps would be taken to rectify it.

The Chair of the committee further instructed the officials to reconsider the fairness of imposing the fine only on one party involved in the clash, and not both parties.These matters were discussed during the COPE meeting held on the 20th at the Parliament under the Chairmanship of Dr. Nishantha Samaraweera, MP, to examine the audit reports for the years 2022 and 2023 and the current performance of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

The committee held extensive discussions on various issues, including the composition of the university staff, the financial situation, the condition of buildings and constructions, and the relationship between the students and the university administration, emphasizing the need to maintain a student-friendly environment.

It was also disclosed during the committee meeting that the university’s full-time bursar had been released to serve as a non-executive director of a private company. Committee members raised concerns over releasing a person holding a full-time position without consulting the Ministry, describing such decisions as problematic.

Responding to this, the Registrar stated that the bursar was released in a manner that would not hinder her official duties. Nevertheless, the committee was informed of the number of leave days obtained by the bursar and that there had been 44 days in 2024 for which no arrival or departure entries had been recorded. The Chair instructed the Registrar to rectify this information.The committee also had an in-depth discussion about the recruitment of a project manager without a formal public announcement or a proper application process, which was deemed a deviation from the accepted recruitment procedures.

Accordingly, the committee chairman directed the Secretary to the Ministry to investigate and prepare a report on the problematic recruitment practices in the university’s staff appointments.

Further, the committee discussed the university’s financial deposits. It was revealed that although Rs. 10,500 had been charged per student for the 2024 external degree convocation, over Rs. 5.3 million remained unutilized after the event. The committee drew attention to this matter and instructed the officials to determine such fees in a more affordable manner for students. The university administration informed the committee that they have decided to reduce the amount charged for convocations from this year onwards.

Meanwhile, the committee also held lengthy discussions on the existing and past problematic conditions related to the university’s buildings and construction projects.Members of Parliament Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney at Law, Nilanthi Kottachchi. Attorney-at-Law, Ruwan Mapalagama, Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana, Thilina Samarakoon, Chandima Hettiaratchi, and Lakmali Hemachandra, Attorney at Law participated in this committee meeting.

The Committee on High Posts approved the appointment of Chairpersons of four State Institutions recently.

The approval was granted during the Committee’s meeting held on June 20, 2025, chaired by the Prime Minister, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.

The appointments are as follows :

• Mr. Somasiri Ekanayake – Chairman of the Employees’ Trust Fund Board (ETF)
• Mr. B. A. P. K. R. Bamunu Arachch – Chairman of the Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation
• Mr. M. R. H. Swarnathilaka – Chairman of the Development Lotteries Board
• Mr. S. Nesarajan – Chairman of Paranthan Chemicals Limited

The Israeli government has said it agreed to the ceasefire proposal after “achieving the objectives” of its attacks on Iran.
According to the statement, Israel has removed Iran’s “dual immediate existential threat” from nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

It also says Israel has “inflicted severe damage on the military leadership, and destroyed dozens of central Iranian government targets”.

The statement goes on to say that Israeli forces, in the last day, have “severely struck government targets in the heart of Tehran, eliminating hundreds of Basij operatives” – a militia the Iranian government often uses to suppress protests – and “eliminating another senior nuclear scientist”.

“Israel thanks President Trump and the United States for their support in defence and their participation in eliminating the Iranian nuclear threat,” the statement adds.

Earlier, Iran state TV news channel IRINN says a ceasefire has been “imposed” on Israel following the “successful” Iranian attack on the US base in Qatar.

State TV said in a statement that Trump “begged” for a ceasefire following Iran’s attack. The statement was read aloud by the presenter.

The statement also hailed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Army and praised the “resistance” of Iranians.

The statement also called Iran’s attack on the US base in Qatar as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ “successful” response to the US attacking three Iranian nuclear sites, while Qatar said all missiles were intercepted.

(Excerpts : BBC News)