- President Anura Kumara Dissanayake instructs the Attorney General to intervene in addressing allegations and Fundamental Rights cases against law enforcement officers tackling the underworld: This followed a request from security chiefs during a National Security Council meeting, where it was revealed that pending cases against officers, particularly from the Special Task Force, hinder anti-underworld operations, prompting the need for urgent action.
- Actress turned political activist Damitha Abeyratne announces her resignation from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and joins the Democratic National Alliance (DNA), which is contesting the upcoming general election: cited dissatisfaction with SJB leader Sajith Premadasa, claiming he did not uphold her democratic rights after her name was controversially removed from the SJB’s candidate list for the Ratnapura district.
- SLPP former MP Rohitha Abeygunawardena declares he would withdraw from politics and resign from his candidacy in the upcoming elections if allegations regarding seized vehicles are proven against him: denies involvement with the vehicles confiscated by the Kandy Criminal Investigation Bureau from his son-in-law’s residence, accusing the claims of being part of a smear campaign.
- Former MP Udaya Gammanpila calls for the immediate removal of Ravi Seneviratne from his post as Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security, accusing him of being implicated in reports on the Easter Sunday attacks: criticises the government for concealing information and threatens to release the documents if the President failed to act: vows an impeachment will be brought upon President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, if he fails to publicly apologise for concealing these documents.
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs refutes reports that Sri Lanka did not sign a joint letter supporting the UN Secretary General: confirms Sri Lanka expressed its desire to be a signatory and reiterated its support for the Palestinian cause: The statement highlighted Sri Lanka’s advocacy for a Gaza ceasefire, UN humanitarian efforts, and the safety of UN personnel.
- Sri Lanka’s inflation rate, measured by the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI), dropped to -0.2% in September 2024 from 1.1% in August: Food inflation also decreased to 0.5% from 2.3%: The NCPI stood at 203.1 in September, marking a 1.0 index point decline: Non-food inflation also fell, with the report indicating reduced spending in the “market basket.”
- The Department of Immigration and Emigration begins issuing the new ‘P’ series passports, featuring enhanced security measures and a navy blue cover: Around 1,100 passports were issued under the one-day service, replacing the exhausted stocks of the maroon ‘N’ series: The new machine-readable passports offer a refined look and improved safety features.
- The Supreme Court will review a petition today (22) from the Democratic National Alliance seeking to overturn the rejection of their Vanni District nomination paper for the 14 November parliamentary elections: The petition was filed by party representative Pararajasingham Udayarasa: The court, led by Justices Surasena, Gunaratne, and Obeysekera, granted time for the Election Commission to provide details.
- The Election Commission rejects 21,160 postal voting applications out of 759,210 submitted for the 2024 General Election: Commission Chief R.M.A.L. Rathnayake notes 738,050 applications were accepted, a 25,731 increase from the recent presidential election: Postal ballot paper delivery begins on 23 October, with official ballots released on 26 October: Candidates will receive airtime allocations soon.
- A post-mortem on the bodies found in a burnt house in Chilaw revealed that the deceased mother and daughter had their throats slit before being set on fire: Conducted by Specialist Judicial Medical Officer I.M. Ilangarathna Banda, the examination determined the cause of death as severe blood loss: The father’s post-mortem examination remains ongoing.
