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Chair elected for Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities

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Member of Parliament Sugath Wasantha de Silva was elected as the Chair of the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities. 

His name was proposed by Member of Parliament Chandima Hettiaratchi and was seconded by the Chief Opposition Whip, Gayantha Karunathilleka. 

This took place yesterday (March 11) during the inaugural meeting of the caucus in Parliament, held under the patronage of the Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne.

Furthermore, the Chief Opposition Whip, Member of Parliament Gayantha Karunathilleka, proposed and seconded respectively by Members of Parliament Susantha Kumara Nawarathna, Susantha Dodawatta, Attorney at Law and Member of Parliament Dr. Pathmanathan Sathyalingam proposed and seconded respectively by Member of Parliament (Dr.) Sellaththamby Thilaganathan and Ajith P. Perera were appointed as Co- Chairpersons of the Caucus.

Addressing the Caucus, the Speaker highlighted that the establishment of this Caucus represents a decisive approach taken collectively towards equality, justice, and inclusion. 

He emphasized that the primary vision should be to build an economically and socially fulfilling and equitable society for persons with disabilities. To achieve this, the fundamental objective should be to ensure a society where their rights are protected and where equal access to education, employment, transportation, and other services is guaranteed.

Expressing his views, newly appointed Chair Sugath Wasantha de Silva extended his gratitude for being elected as the Chair of the Caucus. He stated that, as a Parliament, the main expectation of this Caucus is to transform the general Sri Lankan perception towards persons with disabilities into a more sensitive and positive one. The Chair further mentioned that the Caucus aims to amend the existing 28-year-old law related to persons with disabilities to make it more contemporary and to revise the current national policy to align with future needs. Additionally, he pointed out that the court ruling requiring public institutions to provide accessibility facilities for persons with disabilities has not been effectively implemented for the past 14 years. He affirmed that the Caucus would intervene to ensure the proper enforcement of this ruling.

Deputy Chairperson of Committees Hemali Weerasekara, Members of Parliament, Secretary General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera, and several other dignitaries were present at the Committee meeting held.

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Kahawatta murder : 2 suspects remanded

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Two individuals arrested yesterday (July 16) over the abduction and murder of a youth in Kahawatta have been remanded until July 28.

They were remanded after being produced before the Pelmadulla Magistrate’s Court.

Four suspects were arrested in this regard yesterday and the Homagama Magistrate had granted permission to police to detain two suspects for 07 days for questioning while remanding the remaining 02 suspects until they were produced before the Pelmadulla courts today.

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Newborn found abandoned in paddy field in Paragahadeniya

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A newborn has been found abandoned in a paddy field in Paragahadeniya, Mawathagama earlier today (July 17), police stated.

A local resident passing through the paddy field had noticed the newborn lying under a tree in the field and subsequently informed the Mawathagama Police.

The baby was subsequently admitted to the Mawathagama Divisional Hospital.

A doctor who examined the infant had stated that the baby appeared to be one or two days old and following initial examinations, the baby was transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital.

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SC annuls injunction over compulsory retirement age of nurses

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The Supreme Court today invalidated the interim injunction previously issued by the Court of Appeal preventing the enforcement of the former government’s decision to compulsorily retire nurses in four grades at the age of 60.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court also issued another order to the Court of Appeal to re-examine the petition filed before the court regarding this matter. 

The Supreme Court issued this order when an appeal filed by the Attorney General, seeking to declare the relevant interim injunction issued by the Appellate Court as unlawful and invalid, was taken up for hearing today.

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justices Yasantha Kodagoda, Janak de Silva and A. H.M.D. Nawaz issued the order.

During the previous government, the Cabinet of Ministers had taken a decision to make government employees compulsorily retire at the age of 60 years.

The Court of Appeal, which heard writ petitions filed by the Public Service United Nurses’ Association and its President, Venerable Murutthettuwe Ananda Thero, had issued this interim injunction, preventing the implementation of the relevant decision.

The Attorney General had later filed an appeal petition in the Supreme Court, stating that the manner in which this interim injunction was issued is contrary to the law and that the Court of Appeal does not have the power to issue such an order.

After hearing the petition, the three-judge Supreme Court bench issued this order nullifying the interim injunction.

(adaderana.lk)

(This story, originally published by adaderana.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

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