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All 225 MPs may not be present in Parliament on Nov. 21

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Election Commissioner General Saman Sri Ratnayake stated that if political parties delay nominating representatives for the national list MP positions after the release of the General Election results, there may not be a full representation of all 225 members in Parliament when it convenes on November 21.

He further mentioned that there is a possibility of releasing the preferential vote results on November 15 or 16, and the number of national list MP positions allotted to each party and independent group, based on the number of votes received, will also be announced on those days.

Speaking at a media briefing in Kandy, Election Commissioner General Ratnayake said that since there is approximately a week between the election date and the date Parliament convenes, the gazetting of the names of MPs appointed as public representatives should occur on November 18 or 19.

If political parties or independent groups delay in nominating names for the national list MP positions, it will not be possible to gazette these names before the date Parliament convenes. As a result, not all 225 members will be represented when Parliament meets on November  21.

In the previous Parliament session as well, there was no full representation of all MPs on the first meeting. Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed to the national list MP position allocated to the United National Front only after a considerable delay.

Initially, only a person whose name was on the national list or who contested in the election could be appointed to a national list MP position. Although Ranil Wickremesinghe’s name was not on the national list, he had contested from the Colombo district, allowing him to enter Parliament through the national list. A person who did not contest the election or whose name is not on the national list can only be appointed as an MP if a seat becomes vacant due to the resignation of someone initially appointed as a public representative.

(Daily News)

(This story, originally published by Daily News has not been edited by SLM staff)

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CID reopens Lalith-Kugan disappearance case after 14 yrs.

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The Sri Lankan government has officially handed over the long-stalled investigation into the disappearance of human rights activists Lalith Kumar Weeraraj and Kugan Muruganandan to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala made the announcement in Parliament today (7).

The two activists went missing on December 9, 2011, in Jaffna, under circumstances that have remained unresolved for over a decade.

Initial reports were submitted to the judiciary on December 12, 2011, and the case was heard multiple times before being set aside by court order on October 10, 2014 due to lack of investigative progress.

Minister Wijepala revealed that, due to the prolonged stagnation of the case, the Acting Inspector General of Police issued formal instructions on June 3, 2025, directing the CID to take over the investigation.

A letter was subsequently sent to the Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police for the Northern Province, requesting all relevant case files and forensic reports from the Achchuveli Police Station, the Jaffna Division Crime Investigation Unit, and the regional forensic laboratory.

These documents were officially transferred to the CID on June 11, 2025. The Homicide and Organized Crime Division of the CID has now begun active investigations into the case.

The Minister also disclosed that the CID is currently investigating four other disappearance cases in the Northern and Eastern provinces, while the Colombo Crime Division is handling six additional cases. None of these investigations have yet been concluded.

(News1st)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by News1st has not been edited by SLM staff)

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This week’s Cabinet decisions

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A number of decisions have been taken at the Cabinet meeting held yesterday (July 07).

The decisions taken by the Cabinet of Ministers are as follows :

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Gem & jewellery export revenue drops by 25% due to taxes!

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Although gems and jewellery worth US$477 million were exported in 2023, exports have fallen by 25% to US$360 million last year (2024) after the imposition of taxes on the gem and jewellery industry, says Chairman of the National Gem and Jewellery Authority (NGJA) – Mr. Navin Sooriyarachchi.

He stated this at a media briefing held at the Government Information Department yesterday (July 07).

This media briefing was held to inform the media about the newly opened VAT Refund Counter at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake.

He said that following discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), taxes were imposed on their industry from January 01, 2024.

Accordingly, an 18% VAT was imposed when selling gems and jewelry to tourists as well as when importing rough gemstones. In addition, a 45.14% tax was imposed on gold imports, he added.

Noting that the NGJA has issued about 8,000 mining licenses, he said that these should produce gemstones worth over US$ 1.5 billion annually, assuming that around 50% of these mines were profitable.

He added that Gem and Jewellery had the potential to be the second largest primary export of the country.

However, following the imposition of the 18% VAT, sales have declined significantly, Mr. Sooriyarachchi says, adding that competitive practices such as post purchase VAT refunding followed by other countries have further affected this situation.

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