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‘Glorious Church’ in tax controversy

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The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) this week was scrambling to ascertain whether the ‘Glorious Church’ and its pastor Jerome Fernando, now in the centre of a controversy, were paying taxes to the Government as records, including personal NIC numbers or other details were not available, its officials said.

An official at the Glorious Church, when asked whether the church pays any taxes, promised to get back, but there was no response.

IRD officials pointed out that Mr. Fernando’s Glorious Church management had not been given any tax exemption and that as an individual he had to declare his assets and wealth if there were any, under the Inland Revenue Act.

By tradition, Buddhist temple property was exempt from taxation or any form of revenue collection by the IRD if they were registered by the Govt. as a religious site.

Most of the other places connected to religious work have to pay taxes even if they are registered because exemption from taxes came under a certain ordinance and these institutions were not included in it, IRD officials confirmed.

Catholic Church officials were not available for comment. Officials of other Christian denominations said that while donations were exempt from taxes, income derived by the church was subject to taxes.

(sundaytimes.lk)

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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 (May 07).

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

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New Commissioner General appointed to Examinations Dept.

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Subhashini Indika Kumari Liyanage has been appointed as the new Commissioner General of Examinations, effective immediately.

She succeeds H.J.M.C.A. Jayasundara, whose term ended on May 06, 2025.

Liyanage, a Special Grade Officer of the Sri Lanka Education Administrative Service, previously served as an Examinations Commissioner in the Department of Examinations.

Her appointment was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

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Speaker announces MPs nominated to serve on 06 SoCs

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Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne announced to Parliament today (May 08) the members nominated by the Committee of Selection to serve on 06 Sectoral Oversight Committees.

Accordingly, the members appointed to the 06 Sectoral Oversight Committees are as follows.

Sectoral Oversight Committee on Economic Development and International Relations

  • Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi
  • Mrs.Sagarika Athauda, Attorney at Law
  • Mrs.Nilanthi Kottahachchi, Attorney at Law
  • Kanthasamy Prabu
  • Wijesiri Basnayake
  • Thilina Samarakoon
  • Ms. Lakmali Hemachandra, Attorney at Law

Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development

  • Manjula Suraweera Arachchi
  • K. Ilankumaran
  • Ravindra Bandara
  • Danushka Ranganath
  • Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana
  • Shantha Pathma Kumara Subasingha
  • Mrs. Geetha Herath, Attorney at Law

Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital

  • Aboobucker Athambawa
  • Ms. Krishnan Kalaichelvi
  • Mrs. Nilusha Lakmali Gamage
  • Sugath Wasantha de Silva
  • Sujeewa Dissanayake
  • Sanjeewa Ranasingha
  • Sunil Rajapaksha

Sectoral Oversight Committee on Health, Media and Women’s Empowerment

  • Muneer Mulaffer
  • Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe
  • Mrs. Samanmali Gunasingha
  • Prof. Sena Nanayakkara
  • Dr. S. Sri Bavanandarajah
  • Jagath Manuwarna
  • Ruwan Mapalagama

Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Agriculture and Resource Sustainability

  • Roshan Akmeemana
  • Upul Kithsiri
  • Mrs.M.A.C.S. Chathuri Gangani
  • Susantha Kumara Nawarathna
  • Sudath Balagalla
  • Kitnan Selvaraj
  • Bhagya Sri Herath, Attorney at Law

Sectoral Oversight Committee on Science, Technology and Digital Transformation

  • Chathuranga Abeysinghe
  • Arkam Ilyas
  • Lasith Bhashana Gamage
  • Thanura Dissanayake
  • Mrs. Hasara Liyanage, Attorney at Law
  • Dr. Janaka Senarathna
  • Chandima Hettiaratchi

The Speaker also announced that the Committee of Selection had also nominated Members of Parliament Wasantha Samarasinghe, Sundaralingam Pradeep, Aboobucker Athambawa to serve on the Committee on Parliamentary Business.

In addition, the Speaker further announced to Parliament that the Committee of Selection had also nominated Members of Parliament Aboobucker Athambawa, Arkam Ilyas, Mayilvaganam Jegatheeswaran to serve on the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) and Member of Parliament Sunil Rathnasiri to serve on the Committee on Public Accounts. (COPA).

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