- Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella says the Judiciary may take drastic steps if the Legislature takes action against it re. the order by the Supreme Court to the Finance Secretary to allocate funds for the LG election: MP Rauff Hakeem says this situation would create an unwanted conflict between the Judiciary and the Legislature.
- Bar Association says MP Premnath Dolawatte and State Minister Shehan Semasinghe’s references to an ongoing case in the Supreme Court pertaining to the LG elections constitute an interference with the judicial process and undermine the independence of the Judiciary in Sri Lanka.
- Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera says the ADB, World Bank, USAID and JICA have communicated their assistance towards the restructuring of the CEB: also says the reforms that can be implemented before the final Act is passed, will be initiated next week.
- Residents protest the opening of a Cultural Centre by Minister Vidura Wickramanayake and State Minister D B Herath: claim the cultural centre had been previously “opened” by several ministers on several occasions.
- PUC Chairman Janaka Ratnayake files FR petition in the Supreme Court against the recent 66% electricity tariff hike: says the purported approval given by the Commission was unlawful.
- Govt decides to penalise those undergraduates who engage in anti-Govt protests and riots, by not offering them state sector jobs in the future: Govt to take steps to identify and maintain records of those who are engaged in “unnecessary” anti-Govt protests.
- India’s Congress Party accuses the Central Govt of lobbying in favour of the Adani Group for projects in Sri Lanka: recently, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Ali Sabry said the Sri Lankan Govt views business with the Adani Group as being similar to “Govt-to-Govt” business.
- US Embassy in Sri Lanka declines to comment on PHU Leader and MP Udaya Gammanpila’s statement regarding CIA Director William Joseph Burns’ alleged top secret visit to Colombo on 14th February.
- GMOA spokesman Dr Chamil Wijesinghe says the Govt’s actions were forcing thousands of health professionals out of the country: warns it would be impossible to manage the healthcare sector with the on-going exodus of health professionals: laments the Govt doesn’t care.
- Sri Lanka Cricket targets July & August to conduct the 4th season of the Lanka Premier League: says the intention is to make that period to become the permanent window for the tournament.
