News

Elections (Special Provisions) Bill approved

Published

11 months ago

June 13, 2023

editor

The Cabinet has granted approval to draft the new Elections (Special Provisions) Act.

The Bill to be prepared amending five Acts including the Parliamentary Elections Act No. 1 of 1981, Presidential Elections Act, Provincial Council Elections and the Local Government Elections Ordinance.

The approval was earlier granted on 12.12.2022 to amend the Parliamentary Elections Act to take appropriate action in case of violation of the code of conduct by political parties/independent groups and candidates contesting for an election and to establish special polling stations for specially identified voters who cannot vote at the designated polling station on election day.

The Cabinet approval was also granted on 12.12.2022 to amend the Local Government Polls Ordinance, the Parliamentary Elections Act and the Provincial Council Elections Act so that legal action can be taken in cases of violation of Media Guidelines when an election has been declared.

Accordingly, the Legal Draftsman has commenced the preparation of Bills in this regard.

The Cabinet approved the proposal presented by the President to advise the legal draftsman to prepare a bill to introduce a new Act instead of amending all the related Acts separately.

Therefore, the Cabinet granted approval to the proposal submitted by the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Reforms to publish the relevant draft bill in the government gazette notification and subsequently to table it in Parliament for the concurrence.

News

Colombo air show and CADE 2024 exhibition postponed to next year

Published

5 hours ago

May 18, 2024

editor

The Colombo Air Show and Defence Exhibition (CADE 2024), initially set to take place from May 29 to June 2 at Galle Face and Colombo Port City, has been postponed to next year, according to the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF).

The SLAF stated that the decision to reschedule the event was made in response to multiple requests from international partners, defence industry stakeholders, and foreign Air Forces. This postponement aims to enhance participation and provide a more diverse experience for spectators.

The rescheduled event will now be held from February 26 to March 2, 2025, coinciding with the 74th anniversary of the Sri Lanka Air Force.

News

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar arrives in Sri Lanka

Published

5 hours ago

May 18, 2024

editor

The Global Peace Ambassador and Spiritual Leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar arrived in Sri Lanka this afternoon (18) for a three-day visit. He was welcomed at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake by State Minister of Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon and Eastern Province Governor Senthil Thondaman.

During his stay from May 18 to 20, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will participate in an event titled ‘Ekamuthuva: An Evening of Music, Meditation and Wisdom,’ which will be held at Taj Samudra on May 19. Renowned for his global humanitarian efforts and as a peace envoy, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is also an Indian yoga guru and the founder of ‘Transcendental Meditation’.

News

President leaves for Indonesia

Published

16 hours ago

May 18, 2024

editor

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has left for Indonesia this morning (18) to attend the 10th World Water Forum High-Level Meeting in Bali, at the invitation of Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

The 10th World Water Forum is being held from May 18th to 20th in Bali, Indonesia.

This significant gathering, themed “Water for Shared Prosperity,” will convene global leaders to address pressing issues related to water management and sustainability.

President Wickremesinghe left for Indonesia on Saturday, following an invitation from Indonesian President Joko Widodo, underscoring Sri Lanka’s commitment to international cooperation on water-related challenges.

Scheduled to deliver a keynote address on May 20th, President Wickremesinghe will articulate Sri Lanka’s perspective on achieving equitable access to water resources for all, the President’s Media Division said.

During the forum, President Wickremesinghe is expected to engage in bilateral discussions, including a meeting with President Widodo, to explore avenues for collaborative action in water resource management.

His delegation, comprising senior officials from the Presidential Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reflects Sri Lanka’s comprehensive approach to addressing global water issues.

President Wickremesinghe’s participation underscores Sri Lanka’s proactive role in advancing sustainable solutions to ensure water security, not only domestically but also on the global stage, the PMD said.