- President Ranil Wickremesinghe announces plans to introduce new legislation allowing individuals to choose burial or cremation based on personal and religious preferences: Addressing past grievances, he expressed regret for the mandatory cremation policy enforced during the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly affecting the Muslim community: A special committee will investigate the policy, and compensation will be provided to affected families.
- Presidential Candidate Wijeyadasa Rajapaksha says anyone from his party Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) who pledged their support to any other candidate during the 2024 Presidential Election will not be accepted into membership of the party.
- The National People’s Power (NPP) lodges a complaint with the Elections Commission against MP Rajitha Senarathne: NPP’s Sunil Handunnetti accuses Senarathne of issuing a threatening statement aimed at deterring expatriate workers from returning to Sri Lanka to vote in the upcoming Presidential election: claims this violates election laws and hinders a free and fair electoral process.
- SLPP Presidential candidate Namal Rajapaksa announces a temporary suspension of political activities in Jaffna to respect the Nallur Ther festival’s cultural and religious significance: emphasises the importance of preserving regional traditions during this sacred period, allowing the festival to proceed without political disruption: The Nallur Ther festival is a highly revered Hindu event in the Northern Province.
- Litro Gas Lanka Ltd. announces no price change for September, retaining the August pricing structure: Chairman Muditha Peiris emphasised that this decision aims to provide stability for consumers amidst fluctuating global energy prices: Litro Gas is closely monitoring the market and will reassess the pricing if needed, prioritising consistency and affordability for households.
- The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation announces starting from midnight (31), fuel prices across Sri Lanka will be lowered: The price of Petrol 92 will see a reduction of Rs 12 per litre, while Petrol 95 will drop by Rs 2 per litre: Diesel prices will be reduced by Rs 10 per litre, and Super Diesel will decrease by Rs 3 per litre.
- An extraordinary gazette notification has been released, formally listing the public and bank holidays for the year 2025: This announcement provides an official schedule, ensuring that institutions, businesses, and the general public are well-informed and can plan accordingly for the upcoming year.
- The Election Commission reports 1,592 complaints regarding the upcoming Presidential election between 31 July and 31 August, with 112 cases filed in the past month: Amongst these, 947 complaints were recorded by District Centres, and 645 by the National Centre for Election Complaint Management, including eight incidents of violence: The Commission is committed to investigating each case to ensure a fair election.
- Sri Lanka’s transparency in large foreign-funded infrastructure projects remains inadequate, with only 40% of required information disclosed in 2024, according to Verité Research: The Infrastructure Watch dashboard reveals just 20% of procurement-related data was shared, raising corruption concerns: suggests linking foreign loans to compliance with the Right to Information Act to improve transparency and reduce risks for lenders and contractors.
- Sri Lanka struggled in their first innings, reaching 129 for 7 at tea on day two of the second Test at Lord’s: Despite Asitha Fernando’s five-wicket haul and a brief partnership between Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal, the top order faltered: England, led by Gus Atkinson’s maiden century, posted 427, leaving Sri Lanka trailing by 298 runs and facing a potential follow-on.
