Sri Lanka Tourism officials on Friday expressed confidence of 2024 achieving the targeted 2.3 million arrivals based on robust year to date performance and provided favourable conditions prevail in the forthcoming winter season. Last week, year to date tourist arrivals crossed the 1.2 million mark and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) Chairman Chalaka Gajabahu…
With little over a month before presidential elections are due, the speculations about elections not being held have come to a halt which is a testament to the democratic spirit in the country. The election commission has invited Commonwealth and EU election monitors to observe the elections. Political parties and parliamentarians alike are publicly committing…
The Meteorology Department says showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts. Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in Eastern,…
In 1931, Sri Lanka earned the right to the universal franchise, a milestone that allowed the nation’s citizens to participate in the electoral process. However, not all Sri Lankans fully enjoy this right even today. Among those excluded are Buddhist nuns, prisoners, and approximately 10% of the immigrant population. Recently, the Committee for Safeguarding Prisoners’…
Vidattaltivu Nature Reserve in northern Sri Lanka is an important coastal ecosystem that contains all the main blue carbon habitats, from mangroves to seagrass meadows to salt marshes and tidal flats. Despite this, the government recently ordered the removal of protection for a section of the reserve, which observers say is meant to free up…
The display of posters for the presidential election has already begun, causing not only environmental pollution but also a violation of election laws. According to Article 74 of the Presidential Elections Act No. 15 of 1981, the display of flags, banners, posters or other campaign material in private or public spaces for election campaigning purposes,…
Chethana Gomis According to the Sri Lanka Constitution, there are fundamental qualifications that a presidential candidate must meet, including age and citizenship criteria. Here are the key qualifications for a presidential candidate in Sri Lanka: Citizenship: The candidate must be a Sri Lankan citizen. Dual Citizenship: Individuals with dual citizenship are not eligible to contest…
The Election Commission has announced that the maximum expenditure limit for a candidate will be declared within five days from the date of nomination acceptance for the upcoming presidential election on the 15th. Chinthaka Kularatne, the Additional Election Commissioner (Legal, Investigation, and Planning), stated that the spending limit will include costs for advertising through media,…
Praveen Jayawickrama, the Sri Lankan left-arm spinner, finds himself at the center of a corruption scandal as the International Cricket Council (ICC) charges him with multiple breaches of its anti-corruption code. The charges, which relate to alleged corrupt approaches during international matches and the Lanka Premier League (LPL), open the door for possible legal action…
In a pivotal move toward accountability and justice, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has released a comprehensive report highlighting the widespread issue of enforced disappearances in Sri Lanka. This report, titled “Accountability for Enforced Disappearances in Sri Lanka,” sheds light on the persistent challenge of holding perpetrators accountable while emphasizing the need…
