The Cabinet has approved the draft 21st Amendment to the Constitution, revealed Minister Harin Fernando in a tweet.

The SJB MP turned Minister added that the draft 21A will be tabled in Parliament soon.

MIAP

Dhammika Perera has informed the Supreme Court through his lawyers that he will not appear for the swearing in as a MP of the Ruling Party or a Minister of the Government until the conclusion of the hearing of the fundamental rights (FR) petitions challenging his appointments.

Accordingly, the five FR petitions filed against Perera’s appointment are to be taken up for further consideration tomorrow as well.

MIAP

The 21 protesters arrested during an agitation blocking Gate No 01 and Gate No 02 of the Presidential Secretariat this (20) morning were granted bail as ordered by the Fort Magistrate Court.

Among the arrestees were one Buddhist monk, four women and 16 men.

MIAP

The fundamental rights (FR) petitions filed against the appointment of Dhammika Perera as a National List MP of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) are currently being considered at the Supreme Court.

Five FR petitions were filed demanding the nullification of Perera’s appointment as a Ruling Party MP.

Perera is represented by Senior President’s Counsel Gamini Marapana, President’s Counsel Harsha Amarasekera and President’s Counsel Mohammed Ali Sabry, while the petitioners are represented by President’s Counsel M. Sumanthiran and several other lawyers.

The decision on whether the petitions should be heard will be announced this evening (20).

The Election Commission had issued an extraordinary gazette declaring the Parliament membership of Perera and the former business mogul is to be sworn in in Parliament tomorrow.

MIAP

The case filed before the Colombo District Court seeking a ruling that Maithripala Sirisena’s appointment as the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) is against the Party Constitution was taken up before District Judge Purnima Paranagama today (20).

Dates have been set for the respondents to file objections to the case.

The case was filed by SLFP Working Committee member Montagu Jayawickrama, citing Sirisena and Party Secretary General Dayasiri Jayasekara as respondents.

MIAP

Australia will provide $50 million in Official Development Assistance to support Sri Lanka meet urgent food and healthcare needs.

Sri Lanka currently faces its worst economic crisis in seventy years, leading to shortages of food, medicine and fuel.

Australia has a close and long-standing relationship with Sri Lanka. Not only do we want to help the people of Sri Lanka in its time of need, there are also deeper consequences for the region if this crisis continues.

We will contribute an immediate $22 million to the World Food Programme for emergency food assistance to help three million people in Sri Lanka meet their daily nutritional needs.

Australia will also provide $23 million in development assistance to Sri Lanka in 2022-23.

This will support health services, and economic recovery, with a strong emphasis on protecting those at risk, especially women and girls.

These contributions are in addition to $5 million recently provided to United Nations agencies for Sri Lanka.

The court order barring the dismissal of Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva from all titles constituted by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) has been extended till the day after tomorrow.

The extension on the enjoining order was made as the petition filed by the Minister was taken up before the Colombo District Court today (20).

SLFP Chairman Maithripala Sirisena had announced that Silva will be dismissed from all Party titles due to his conduct of acting beyond the Party protocol and accepting a ministry in the government and the Minister had filed a petition in the Colombo District Court challenging the decision.

The petition was taken up before Colombo District Judge Purnima Paranagama and she ordered that the enjoining order barring Silva’s dismissal be extended till June 22.

Lawyers appearing for the respondents including Sirisena told the Court that discussions would be held with the petitioner to settle the case and that they will oppose the extension should the petitioner does not agree to come to such a settlement.

MIAP

The discussions between the delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) who arrived in Sri Lanka this (20) morning and the government of Sri Lanka were initially scheduled to be held at the Ministry of Finance, but the event was shifted to the Prime Minister’s Office due to the anti-government protesters being present near the ministerial entrance.

The vehicles carrying the IMF delegation could not reach the Finance Ministry as the road near the Lotus Roundabout was blocked by the protesters. The protests blocked the other gates of the Presidential Secretariat as well.

It is in this backdrop were the IMF talks shifted to the Prime Minister’s Office, according to sources.

Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara urged the Private Sector to work from home in a measure to address the fuel crisis.

The Minister urged the Private Sector company heads to provide facilities to the employees who can work from home and to call in only those providing essential services.

The internet should be used as much as possible when services are being provided and meetings should be held online instead of calling in employees from outside the area, Wijesekara emphasised.

The Energy Minister also urged the general public to support the government at their best capacity by restricting unnecessary travels.

MIAP