Nov 19 (DN) Holding a Parliamentary election at the earliest, is the best option to overcome the current political impasse, a group of University Academics said. All political parties should agree to hold a General Election and let the people’s sovereignty prevail, the academics said. “Enable the people to decide who their representatives should be. Hold elections to let the people enjoy their sovereign powers to elect more..

Nov 19 (FT) There are 3 ways in which voting is taken in Parliament, most common being a vote by voice. In this, Speaker puts the question to the House and asks those in favour of a resolution to say aye and those against to say no. If the Speaker feels that the opinion of the House is sufficiently and clearly expressed, he could announce it to the House. If a Member is not satisfied with the decision of the Speaker, he may ask for a division. In case someone seeks a division, a vote by name is more..

Nov 19 (LBO) Pelted with bottles of water mixed with chilli paste. Chairs, books and other projectiles thrown at them. Pushed and shoved by men who are decades older than them dressed in suits and national dress. The above image is one of SL’s police officers, many of them young men, unarmed and forming a human chain to protect the 78 year old speaker of SL’s parliament Karu Jayasuriya. The protection was necessary so that a vote could be take on a motion of no confidence. more..

Nov 19 (FT) Prez Sirisena yesterday called on all parties to resort to the parliamentary process to democratically reach a solution to the ongoing political crisis with decorum. With the House set to convene this afternoon, Sirisena also urged all parties to refrain from bringing supporters to Diyawanna in order to avoid conflict. The deadlock between the two fractions of the political parties dragged on for the 4th week, more..

Nov 19 (CT) Actress Geetha Kumarasinghe claimed that she had dumped both her Switzerland citizenship and her foreign husband in order to save her country and that she is now ready to make a comeback into politics with a new face, in a bid to regain all she had lost. She was speaking at a media briefing attended by fellow artistes supporting PM Rajapaksa faction. “I dumped my Swiss citizenship and divorced my husband and now I am single & willing to make a comeback into politics.” more..

Nov 19 (NR) MPs Ranjith Madduma Bandara says the local media must work harder and convey the real picture of the country, to the masses. MP Madduma Bandara said the media also has a responsibility to fight for democracy in the country. Commenting on recent political developments in the country, he said Mahinda Rajapaksha has failed to secure a majority in Parliament and therefore must respect the country’s democratic process and resign from his post. more..

Nov 19 (FT) CID OIC – Gang Robberies Nishantha Silva has been transferred out of Department with immediate effect, raising serious concerns about the high profile abduction cases the official was handling. Silva was the chief investigator on several major investigations into attacks on journalists during the tenure of the Rajapaksa administration, including the abduction and assault of Nation Deputy Editor Keith Noyahr, more..

Nov 19 (Island) Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology solution provider, recently hosted first ever Huawei IT congress in Sri Lanka themed Huawei Lanka IT Congress 2018 – Intelligent IT Inspires Digital Future. The event showcased Huawei’s commitment to partners and desire to contribute to the Sri Lankan ICT ecosystem and Digital Transformation, bringing together over 500 senior management personal across leading partners, and from companies from more..

Nov 19 (Island) The JVP reiterated that it would never help the UNP form a govt even if the purported UPFA govt was dislodged through parliamentary means. JVP MP Dr Nalinda Jayatissa said that there was no change in the party’s position that it would not side with either Mahinda Rajapaksa or any one from the UNP. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has said that those who are opposed to the incumbent UPFA govt number 122, including the JVP’s six MPs. more..

Nov 19 (CT) The Editor and script writer of the Koombiyo Tele Drama, Damitha Chandrasiri has gone missing without a trace for the past 3 weeks, Police said. According to a complaint received by the Welikada Police, the 41-year-old Editor had gone missing from his rented lodging in Nawala. He is a resident of Anuradhapura. A close accomplice of the missing editor had notified the Police of the man’s disappearance. more..

Nov 19 (AD) President Sirisena-appointed PM, Mahinda Rajapaksa is scheduled to meet MPs supportive of him from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) today to decide their future course in terms of participation in Parliamentary sessions. The scheduled meeting was revealed by MP Bandula Gunawardena. He said the meeting will provide a final decision on whether to attend the Parliamentary session scheduled for today or not. more..

Nov 19 (CT) The Army has destroyed the underground bunker located in Kilinochchi, which is said to have been occupied by the leader of now defunct terrorist outfit, the LTTE, Velupillai Prabhakaran. This bunker was found by the 14th Army National Security Brigade one year ago. This underground bunker, which is in the Punneinirawi area of Kilinochchi, is situated on a land owned by a civilian. He had spotted this bunker when he came to observe his land one year ago. more..

Nov 19 (AD) The All Party Meeting called by President Maithripala Sirisena to discuss the current political developments was held with friendly and cordial manner at the Presidential Secretariat today (18) and it lasted more than 2 hours. There was an agreement at the meeting that the party leaders meeting, scheduled for tomorrow should decide the future proceedings of the Parliament and the Parliamentary session more..

Nov 19 (FT) Youth and young professional across SL will today launch a movement to rally support to hold elected official accountable to democratic values or suffer the consequences of being voted out of office. A spokesman said SL democracy had reached its darkest hour. “Are you angered and frustrated by the behaviour of many of our elected officials in parliament and the inaction of their party leaders? We like to remind you that this is not the first time that we have been let down by our more..

Nov 19 (FT) Rt. Revd. Dhiloraj R. Canagasabey, Bishop of Colombo, in a statement said The Diocese of Colombo of the Church of Ceylon is shocked and greatly dismayed by the dissolution of Parliament by the President. Following is the full text of the statement: This arbitrary act appears to us to be a direct and blatant violation of the clear and express provisions of the Constitution, following the passage of the 19th Amendment. The actions of the dismissal of a sitting PM, the appointment of a new PM, more..

Nov 19 (Island) Yesterday’s party leaders’ meeting, convened by Prez Sirisena to break the political deadlock, in parliament ended inconclusively. "We told the President that we could show a majority again but the Prez didn’t show much interest," UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella said last night. MP Ajith P Perera added that the UNP had requested a meeting with the President at 10 am today at the Presidential Secretariat to more..

Nov 19 (DM) The ugly brawl in parliament on Nov 16, following the brawl the previous day, where legislators attacked the Speaker with bottles of water, waste-paper baskets and all manner of verbal abuse degenerated into open thuggery when some lawmakers stooped to use sharp cutting instruments against each other, engaged in physical attacks on uniform-clad police officers and threw chilli powder at them, although this was not the first time that such acts took place inside country’s legislature. more..

Nov 19 (DM) So much is being written about President Maithripala Sirisena’s political U-turn and the resulting chaos, both pro and against. Of all the regular political columnists, Tisaranee Gunasekara has written what is easily the best analysis, (Deranged, published by the Colombo Telegraph website on Nov. 11). It’s a gem of an analysis. I am not saying this because it echoes my own fears, hopes and sentiments. This writer is neither a political analyst or columnist. more..

Nov 19 (DM) Rajeev Amarasuriya is an Attorney-at-Law in practice in the area of public law before the Superior Courts. He is a Fellow Member of Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA - UK), and an Alumnus of both the Faculty of Law of the Uni of Colombo and Harvard Kennedy School of Govt, Executive Education. Q: Speaker has informed the President that Parliament has passed a vote of no-confidence in the Govt. more..

Nov 19 (ST) Friday could be considered the worst of days for Sri Lanka’s Parliament, but it was also a day when the mettle of Parliamentary officials were tested to the limit, as much as that of Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, in their efforts to ensure that Parliament sittings were conducted amidst all adversity. For Parliament’s Serjeant-at-Arms, Narendra Fernando, the Custodian of the Mace, which symbolises the authority of Parliament, more..

Nov 19 (CT) SL’s unemployed numbering 381,834, consisted of 4.6% of those seeking employment, as a percentage of those seeking work together with those who are employed as at end second quarter. The highest number among the unemployed were those with GCE A/L qualifications and above, comprising 8.9% of the total unemployed under that category. In numbers that amounted to 170,647. more..

Nov 19 (CT) Subsequent to handing over No-Confidence Motions, against Ministers Ravi Karunanayake, Rajitha Senaratne and PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, to the Speaker, in order to conduct debates on them, according to Parliamentary tradition, dates were specified for the debates, but where the No-Confidence Motion against PM Mahinda Rajapaksa was concerned, it is reported that within a short period of more..

Nov 19 (CT) A group of 13 Sri Lankans, seeking political asylum in Israel, will be deported since Tel Aviv maintains zero tolerance on such claims, a top Colombo-based diplomat said yesterday. Israel does not accommodate such asylum claims and the group that includes 11 men and 2 women will definitely be deported at the very earliest, Israel’s Consul General in Colombo Vicky Wickramatunga said. more..

Nov 19 (Island) The UNP alone had the right to determine who the PM should be and the party would not give up that right, UNP MP Ajith P. Perera said. He said the political crisis in Sri Lanka was worsening as the country was without a govt. "The crisis has reached a new stage now, this is a country without a PM or a govt. There is no mechanism to implement the directives of the President. State institutions are at a standstill and more..

Nov 19 (DN) The Appropriation Bill will be discussed at the next Cabinet meeting, UPFA MP Shehan Semasinghe said. He also said that people should not fear of any economic instability as all necessary steps will be taken by PM Mahinda Rajapaksa in his capacity as the Finance Minister to manage the country’s economy. He also said that the govt will take measures to relax the heavy taxes imposed upon people in the near future. more..

Nov 19 (EN) Prez Sirisena has ordered the immediate removal from the CID a senior detective investigating a string of high profile cases involving members of the Rajapaksa family. Chief Inspector Nishantha Silva was transferred out under direct orders from Sirisena who had been accused by the UNP of preventing the arrest of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and other family members. Sirisena’s nexus with Rajapaksas came out into the more..

Nov 19 (CT) An estimated sum of over Rs 25 million plus was spent on each Parliament session in 2017 ending up with a whopping grand total of over Rs 2.57 billion for the entire year, it was revealed yesterday. Quoting available statistics and other information gathered from Parliament, the March 12 Movement pointed out that these expenses were incurred for a total of 95 Parliament sessions during the whole of last year. more..

Nov 19 (AD) The parliamentary session commenced at 1 pm today. However, the session was chaired by the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament in the absence of the Speaker, Karu Jayasuriya. Deputy Speaker moved that a select committee should be appointed and requested MP nominations for the relevant matter be urgently handed over to the Parliamentary Secretary-General. more..

Nov 19 (FT) I have rarely if ever empathised with the SL Police Department. But when I saw those hapless cops ducking chilli bombs in Parliament, my heart went out to those whom I had previously seen as simply being PC Plods or Mr Goons. Sorry to say that the aggressors in the case of such egregious behaviour in our august (yeah, right!) assembly were none other than honourable MPs whom we elected and whose salaries we pay. However much we might think of them as our servants, more..

Nov 19 (CT) Parliament is considered as the temple of democracy. However, the incidents what had happened inside the Parliament chamber last week indicated how far the democratic system has been ridiculed in the country. British High Commissioner James Dauris who is from the country of the Mother of all Parliaments-Westminster after seeing the unruly behaviour of some MPs at the Parliament itself at Kotte, Sri J'pura last week has mentioned his observation in his twitter as deplorable. more..

Nov 19 (CT) The UNP submitted a draft motion seeking to restrict S. Amarasekera, secretary to the purported PM Mahinda Rajapaksa from accessing state funds. UNP MPs Navin Dissanayake, Ravi Karunanayake, Kavinda Jayawardena, Nalaka Kolonne, Hector Appuhamy and Chathura Senaratne signed the motion. The motion will be submitted in the order paper and will be taken up for debate on November 29. A vote on the motion is also expected to be taken on the same day. more..

Nov 19 (Island) The Passing-Out Parade of 60 Officers and Other Rankers who completed the Special Infantry Operations (SIO) Refresher Course at the Battalion Training School in Vasavilan, Jaffna passed out on Friday, Army said. On the directions of Commander Security Forces - Jaffna, Major General Darshana Hettiarrachchi, the SIO Refresher Course was held from 9 Oct to 16 Nov 2018 and it was the first ever Refresher Course to be held within the Jaffna peninsula in recent times. more..

Nov 19 (FT) It all came to surface as the culmination of a personal vendetta between President Sirisena and PM Wickremesinghe. The country at large knew of it when the President sacked the PM and appointed his arch enemy, the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his place in the evening of 26 Oct, according to Indian media, in a hush-hush swearing-in ceremony. The ruse used by the President was that a few minutes ago more..

Nov 19 (Island) There was the possibility of an MP being killed inside the Parliament if the current trend continued, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said. He said that Speaker Karu Jayasuriya was responsible for the current crisis in Parliament. "If an MP is killed or seriously injured, the Speaker should take the full responsibility. The Speaker is acting in violation of the Constitution. He has violated the Parliamentary traditions as well. The Speaker is also acting in a very biased manner and more..

Nov 19 (DN) The enjoining order issued against Regent Property Developers Lanka has been extended by the Colombo Commercial High Court till Nov 28. The order was issued at the instance of Construction Managers and Planners, the contractor of Regent Residencies apartment complex situated in Watarappola Road, Mount Lavinia. They claimed that Regent had failed to pay money due to them in respect of construction, in spite Construction Managers and Planners already having more..

Nov 19 (Reuters) SL’s newly appointed PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, who lost two motions of no confidence last week, may lose his govt’s budget even as he clings to power. Lawmakers opposed to Rajapaksa said they intend to remove funding for staff salaries and other costs in a vote on Nov. 29. The opposition, which regards his administration as illegitimate, will also seek approval to slash the govt’s overall budget, they said. more..

Nov 19 (AD) Police have fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse a group of protesters of the BBS organisation engaged in a demonstration outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Fort. The protesters were demanding the release of the General Secretary of the organisation venerable Galagodaththe Gnanasara thera. Gnanasara thera was convicted on four charges over Contempt of Court and was sentenced to a 19 year rigorous imprisonment, to be completed in 6 years. more..

Nov 19 (AD) President states that he was not informed on the protest by the BBS and he expresses his regrets regarding the inconveniences caused to the monks. A protest by BBS was held this afternoon in front of the Presidential Secretariat. They had arrived at the Presidential Secretariat to handover a letter to the President with regard to the imprisonment of Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero. However, police had taken measures to control the protestors by deploying more..

Nov 19 (DM) UNP MP Gamini Jayawickrama Perera said today he would take legal action in connection with the attack made on him in parliament on Friday. He said he would first complaint to the Police and then proceed to take legal action in the court. Mr. Perera was attacked with chilli powder mixed with water during the tense situation in parliament last Friday. “Punishment as laid down in Parliament Act more..