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The Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption as Abuse of Power, State Resources, and Privileges (PRECIFAC) had received 900 complaints with regard to frauds and acts of corruption while 250 of them had been forwarded to the investigation unit for reference, its secretary Lacille De Silva said […]

A Tamil becomes the Opposition leader after a 32-year minority vacuum. Recognising R. Sampanthan as the Opposition Leader of Parliament by Speaker Karu Jayasuriuya on September 3 is being viewed by a section of society as one of a series of measures taken by President Maithripala Sirisena to checkmate former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Another school […]

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says Parliament proceedings will be broadcast live on television from next year. He said that the relevant authorities are looking into broadcasting Parliament proceedings live and this will somehow be done from next year. The Prime Minister said that the public will then be able to know who is attending Parliament […]

Ex –JMO Prof. Ananda Samarasekera in his final autopsy report filed in court asserts that the death of Mohamed Waseem Thajudeen was due to unconsciousness, disability of limbs and inhalation of carbon monoxide gas emitted from the fire. The detailed report stated that at the time of the onset of the fire he was alive […]

The results of Sri Lanka’s parliamentary election on 17 August can be seen as an endorsement of recent reforms to limit the powers of the executive presidency and strengthen democratic governance. But Asanga Welikala stresses that the political difficulties ahead must not be underestimated, particularly the challenge of finding a constitutional settlement that addresses ethnic […]

(R Sampanthan) Speaker Karu Jayasuriya named TNA leader R. Sampanthan as the Opposition Leader of the Eighth Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. There was a debate on the post of opposition leader since both the TNA and the UPFA faction which is against the national government were demanding it. The Speaker […]

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentary Group convened today (1st Sep 2015). Hon. R. Sampanthan was elected as the TNA’s Parliamentary Group Leader at this meeting. It was also decided that Hon. Sampanthan should be appointed as the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. On this basis, TNA MP Hon. Selvam Adaikalanathan accepted appointment to […]

These are critical times for Sri Lanka. This week the country completed its second round of elections this year. A coalition led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe scored a narrow victory. By contrast, presidential elections held in January ended in a surprise victory for Maithripala Sirisena, a veteran government minister who broke ranks with Mahinda […]

Many, this correspondent included, expected the JVP to poll well and win 10 to 15 parliamentary seats – some people said 20+ even when they were sober! On votes, yes expectations have been borne out (544,000, its second highest since 815,000 in 2001). On seats we were wrong because of inattention to nitty-gritty details; intra […]

( TNA leader Sampanthan: Will TNA be given its due place in the parliament) Press statement. At the General Election held on the 17th of August 2015, the United National Party (UNP) emerged as the party with the largest number of seats in Parliament. The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) obtained the second largest number […]

By Taylor Dibbert. Sri Lanka’s parliamentary election is over, and the results are in. By capturing 45.7 percent of the votes and 106 seats in a vote held on August 17, the United National Party (UNP) has narrowly won. This is something of a defeat for Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was Sri Lanka’s president until he […]

( War zone after the war’s end) COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — The United States said Wednesday that it wants to sponsor a resolution at next month’s U.N. human rights session that is supportive of Sri Lanka’s government, which wants to conduct its own investigation into alleged war crimes. The announcement by the visiting Assistant […]

 by Rohan Samaragiva. An unnecessary fuss is being made about the National List. Hopefully, the evidence presented below will reduce the temperature a little. Article 99A of the Constitution clearly permits what all three parties have done: appoint defeated candidates who were included in the nomination papers for districts but were not included in the […]

The outcome of the General Election held on August 17, and the victory secured by the United National Front for Good Governance led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe paves the way for democratic transition to take place in two key aspects of good governance. It will consolidate the shift away from a highly centralised structure […]

by N. Ram. A day after he assumed office, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe spoke to N. Ram, former Editor-in-Chief of “The Hindu”, on a wide range of issues. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is confident and hopeful that the political situation in Sri Lanka following the August 17 general election, although complex, is favourable […]

Sri Lanka says good riddance to Rajapaksa. ( ©APMahinda Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka’s former president) Sri Lankan voters have dealt a decisive blow to the comeback ambitions of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, who ran the island nation of 20m people in authoritarian style for a decade. Their rejection of his bid for the premiership almost certainly […]

The Sri Lankan parliamentary poll results have shown that the voters have rejected divisive politics and authoritarianism by electing Ranil Wickremesinghe. The message is the defeat of former President Mahinda Rajapakse rather than the victory of the UNP-led coalition. Rajapakse’s bid for a return despite his humiliating defeat in the Presidential elections has been foiled. […]

Here are brief accounts of district wise performances by candidates at Monday’s parliamentary elections: COLOMBO DISTRICT: Almost a reverse of the 2010 parliamentary elections. This time the UNP secured 53 per cent as against 36.1 percent in 2010. The UPFA obtained 39.2 percent of the votes as against the 53 percent. The UNP returned 11 […]

(Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, now an MP-elect of the Kurunegala district, chats with Ranil Wickremesinghe during Friday’s simple ceremony where he (Wickremesinghe) was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka for the fourth time Pix by Sudath Silve) Sri Lanka’s electoral map the morning after its 16th general election was a fascinating picture […]

(PM ELECT:  Prime Minister-elect Ranil Wickremesinghe with wife Maithree in Colombo on August 19.) ECONOMYNEXT, Sri Lanka’s former president Mahinda Rajapaksa whose prime ministerial dream was shattered after Monday’s election faced a new threat Wednesday with at least 14 of his supporters expected to defect. A top United People’s Freedom Alliance source said several MPs elected […]

By PTI Chinese official media asserted that “China cannot be avoided” because its ties with Colombo transcended “partisan politics”. | P.K.Balachandran BEIJING: As a sense of unease prevailed here over defeat of Mahinda Rajapaksa in Sri Lanka’s Parliamentary polls blunting Beijing’s influence in the Indian Ocean region, Chinese official media asserted that “China cannot be […]

AP “The question that helps us to understand Sri Lanka’s current trends in politics is not why the UNP-led coalition won the highest number of seats but why the Rajapaksa-led UPFA coalition failed to gain a majority.” The Sri Lankan electorate has voted to reject polarisation and reinforce the process of democratisation. There are two […]

After being toppled as president, Mahinda Rajapaksa wanted to become PM. But the Sri Lankan leader’s comeback bid has ended in defeat as early parliamentary poll results showed the ruling alliance made decisive gains. “My dream of becoming prime minister has faded away,” Rajapaksa was quoted by news agency AFP on Tuesday, August 18, as […]

The UNP received a total of 5,098,916 votes and won 106 seats including 13 from the national list, thereby becoming the largest single party in the next parliament. The UPFA won 4,732,664 votes and won 95 seats with 12 national list seats. The ITAK won 16 seats including 2 from the national list while the […]

James Crabtree in Colombo As former president Mahinda Rajapaksa comes to terms with his second electoral defeat in eight months, many in Sri Lanka are also predicting what once seemed unthinkable: the final political demise of a leader who, until just a year ago, seemed to hold an iron grip on their country. Mr Rajapaksa […]

With the government looking at UAE’s commitment on terror as a snub to Pakistan, it had another reason to rub its hands in glee Tuesday as former Sri Lankan leader Mahinda Rajapaksa’s bid to make a comeback in the parliamentary elections fell through. The results have validated the outcome early this year of the presidential […]

ECONOMYNEXT – The leader of Sri Lanka’s United National Party which is heading to be the largest grouping in parliament after yesterday’s has called for an administration based on consensus and good governance. “There is no need to be divided as winners and losers,” UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said in a statement. “We have to […]

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa accepted defeat at the 2015 General Election, AFP reported a short while ago. ““My dream of becoming prime minister has faded away,” Rajapaksa told AFP. “I am conceding. We have lost a good fight.” He added that he will work as an opposition Member of Parliament. According to results already released, […]

(CMEV) Profile of Major Incidents At the end of the campaign on August 14th, 2015, CMEV received 810 complaints of which 143 were classified as Major.  Of the latter category, Murder was recorded at 04, Hurt at 05, Grievous Hurt at 03, Assaults at 46, Threat and Intimidation at 08, Misuse of State Resources at […]

Over 15 million voters across 22 electoral districts will go to the polls tomorrow to elect 225 Members of Parliament (MPs) in the country’s 15th General election since 1947. The Colombo District will return the largest for a single district with 19 MPs, while Tricomalee will return the lowest number of 4 MPs. Postal-voting-in-Puttalam-Pics-Hiran-Priyankara Colombo -19 […]