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Ballot paper printing not yet started?

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Although the distribution of postal ballots should commence on February 15, the Government Printing Department sources said that not a single ballot paper has been printed so far.

Meanwhile, an official of the Election Commission has informed a senior official of the Government Press that he will complain to the court if the ballot papers are not printed.

It is reported that there was an argument in this regard during a discussion held last Friday between Elections Commissioner General Saman Sri Ratnayake and the Government Printer.

The Election Commission has not made any payment for the printing work done so far to the Government Press.

It said the printing of ballot papers should be commenced since the Supreme Court has given an order to go ahead with the election.

Lies of the Election Commission

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has informed the divisional secretaries and politicians that the printing of ballot papers has commenced.

Stocks of paper have been allocated for printing of ballot papers, computer designs (artwork) have been completed but no ballot papers have been printed so far.

It has been the tradition for the election commission to settle the payments required for printing of ballot papers once the election has been held.

However, it is reported that only part of the money given by the Treasury and the candidate’s bail money has been sent to the government press.

“Rs.40mn given to print ballot papers which is enough only for 10 districts”

A trade union member of the government printing department has told the media that an inquiry has been made from the Attorney General asking if ballot papers should be printed on Friday.

“The press has still not received an answer. The printing will commence tomorrow once the Attorney General gives his opinion,” he said.

A number of government officials have been called by the Elections Commissioner General to discuss holding the election on credit terms, but none of them have attended the meeting.

It is against this backdrop that certain media have reported that the postal voting will not be held as planned on February 22, 23, 24 due to the lack of financial allocations for the poll.

Enough paper and ink for the election!

Meanwhile, it was reported that the reports published in some media that the government press does not have necessary paper and ink for the printing works related to the local government elections are false.

As ballot papers are printed using paper with security watermarks only in a presidential election and a general election, 80gsm normal white paper is used for the printing of provincial council and local government elections’ ballots papers. The government printing department has more than enough such paper and ink, it was reported.

In this situation, a printing department official emphasized that there is no need to buy paper and ink immediately for local government election activities.

Source – The Leader

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Let’s build a nation rooted in historical heritage (Pics)

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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that a society cannot progress without a meaningful connection to its historic heritage and that the nation’s development path must be chosen accordingly.

The President made these remarks while addressing a ceremonial gathering yesterday (July 10) afternoon at the historic Ruhunu Kataragama sacred site.  

Earlier in the day, President Dissanayake visited the sacred grounds of Kataragama, participated in religious observances and later paid a courtesy call on the Venerable Kobawaka Dhamminda Nayaka Thera, the Chief Incumbent of the historic Kirivehera Rajamaha Viharaya, inquiring about his well-being and engaging in a brief discussion.

The President also attended the final Randoli Maha Perahera (Golden Chariot Grand Procession) of the annual Esala Festival at the Ruhunu Kataragama Maha Devalaya, where he witnessed the ceremonial placement of the sacred relic casket upon the relic bearing tusker.  

Addressing the gathering, President Dissanayake further emphasised that a nation can only move forward by maintaining continuity with its historic heritage. He noted that every developed country in the world has achieved progress by preserving its historical legacy and building upon it, stressing that Sri Lanka, too, must choose a development path anchored in its heritage.

The President highlighted that Buddhism played a pivotal role in transforming our society into a cultured civilisation and that cultural festivals like this help revive and strengthen the moral and social values of a society often preoccupied with material pursuits.  

He pointed out that the Ruhunu Kataragama Perahera has been held continuously for 2,186 years, spanning nearly a hundred generations and that its survival has been possible due to the deep connection between this cultural ceremony and the lives of the people. The President extended his gratitude to all those, including the Chief Incumbent, who contributed to the success of this year’s procession.  

Among those present at the occasion were Deputy Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, R.M. Jayawardena, Governor of the Uva Province, Attorney-at-Law Kapila Jayasekara, Member of Parliament Ruwan Wijeweera, Chairman of the Kataragama Pradeshiya Sabha, Dharmapala Herath and Monaragala District Secretary Pasan Ratnayake.

(President’s Media Division)

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Charges against Keheliya & others postponed

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The Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar has postponed the formal serving of charges against former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and 12 others to Sep. 16, citing delays in the printing of annexures required to accompany the chargesheets.

Deputy Solicitor General Lakmini Girihagama, appearing for the prosecution, informed the court that while the chargesheets had already been filed, the annexures had not yet been submitted due to printing delays. She noted that it would cost approximately Rs. 866,565 to print the annexures for each accused and that the documents for all twelve defendants are yet to be prepared.

The Government Printer has indicated that it would take about 21 days to complete the printing. Therefore, the prosecution requested the court to reschedule the case accordingly. The court granted the request and fixed the next hearing for Sep. 16.

The Attorney General has filed 13 charges against the accused, including allegations of conspiring to fraudulently misappropriate Rs. 1.444 billion in public funds by supplying 6,195 vials of human immunoglobulin and non-pharmaceutical substances such as Ritopsimap to the Ministry of Health’s Medical Supplies Division.

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UK’s relaxed trade rules to boost SL exports

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The Government of the United Kingdom (UK) has unveiled a package of reforms to simplify imports from developing countries like Sri Lanka after upgrades to the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS).

The changes, announced as part of the UK’s wider Trade for Development offer, aim to support economic growth in partner countries, including Sri Lanka, while helping UK businesses and consumers access high-quality, affordable goods.

New measures include simplifying rules of origin, enabling more goods from countries such as Sri Lanka, Nigeria, and the Philippines can enter the UK tariff-free, even when using components from across Asia and Africa.

These changes are expected to be in place by early 2026.

This move strengthens Sri Lanka’s position in its second-largest apparel market, supporting exports, jobs, and economic growth.

The British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Andrew Patrick, said: “This is a win for the Sri Lankan garment sector, and for UK consumers. With the UK being the second largest export market and garments making up over 60% of that trade, we know manufacturers here will welcome this announcement.

“We want Sri Lanka to improve the utilisation of the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme for a wider range of goods, not just garments. With the Sri Lankan government’s ambition to grow exports, and with the simplification of rules of origin for other sectors too, we strongly encourage more exporters to explore how they can benefit from the preferences offered by the DCTS. The UK remains committed to working towards creating shared prosperity for both our countries.”

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