News

Special ballot paper for visually impaired at upcoming polls

Published

6 months ago

December 4, 2023

editor

A decision has been reached to provide a special ballot paper for visually impaired persons in all upcoming elections.

Commissioner General of Elections Saman Ratnayake said a special ballot paper will be issued for such people at every polling station.

Speaking during a special media briefing of the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities he said a pilot project in this regard was succesful in 10 polling stations in the Nuwara Eliya district.

He added that special attention will also be directed to the needs of the hearing impaired and accessibility for disabled persons at polling stations.

Ratnayake said measures will be taken to provide an identity card to disabled persons.

Chairman of the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities MP Dullas Alahapperuma said he will present a proposal to Parliament on Monday (04) to purchase buses for persons with disabilities as a pilot project, based on the 2024 Budget proposal to purchase 600 buses.

(newsfirst.lk)

News

Rathupaswala shooting: Army personnel acquitted

Published

37 mins ago

May 17, 2024

editor

All four Sri Lanka Army personnel who had been indicted on charges of shooting dead three persons and injuring 45 others during a protest by villagers demanding clean drinking water in Rathupaswala in 2013 were today acquitted by the Gampaha High Court Trial-at-Bar.

Delivering its verdict, the three-judge High Court ordered the acquittal and release of all four accused – a Major and three Army soldiers.

The incident occurred on August 1, 2013, when army personnel opened fire on a protest by villagers in Weliweriya. The villagers were protesting against a factory which they said was contaminating groundwater in their area and were demanding clean drinking water.

(sundaytimes.lk)

News

Fmr. Army Chief joins SJB

Published

3 hours ago

May 17, 2024

nipuni

Former Army Commander Retired General Mahesh Senanayake has joined with the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB).

In a Facebook post, party leader Sajith Premadasa said that the Former Army Chief joined the SJB to support the program to rebuild Sri Lanka.

Mr. Premadasa had appointed General Mahesh Senanayake as the Chief of the Samagi Ranaviru Balawegaya.

News

Colombo HC sentences 9 Pakistani drug traffickers to 10 years in prison

Published

4 hours ago

May 17, 2024

nipuni

Nine Pakistani nationals, who were arrested on charges of smuggling a large cache of drugs, have been sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Colombo High Court.

During a joint operation carried out by the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) and the Sri Lanka Navy on January 01, 2020, the Pakistani nationals were apprehended while transporting 614 kg of ‘Ice’ (Crystal Methamphetamine) and 581 kg and 34 grams of suspected drugs by boat.

The report of the Government Analyst has confirmed that the seized parcels contained over 491 kilograms of ‘Ketamine’ drugs and nearly 472 kilograms of ‘Ice’ (Crystal Methamphetamine).

The accused pleaded guilty to the charges when the case was taken up before the court, and were subsequently sentenced to 10 years in prison, police said.

Furthermore, the police mentioned that measures are underway to extradite the suspects to Pakistan in order to serve their sentences.

(adaderana.lk)

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