An overseas travel ban has been imposed to frontline leaders of the non-partisan protest against the current regime including Convener of the Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF) Wasantha Mudalige, Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers’ Association Joseph Stalin, Convener of the Socialist Youth Union Eranga Gunasekara, Rev. Fr. Jeewantha Peiris, Lahiru Weerasekara and Rangana Lakmal, based on a request made by the Colombo Fort Police.

The non-partisan protest leaders were charged of damaging public property during a protest held in front of the Colombo Police Headquarters on June 06 and the case filed against the protesters was taken up before Magistrate Thilina Gamage today (25).

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The Navy has reportedly found the T56 that was said to have been stolen by attacking an army officer during a protest at Polduwa junction near the Parliament entrance on July 13.

The missing firearm was found under the Samanala Bridge in Diyawanna Oya in Rajagiriya towards Parliament.

The Navy Diving Force retrieved the missing T56 and an empty ammunition bag on July 23 and handed them over to the Welikada Police.

The Welikada Police are conducting further investigations into the matter.

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In a startling revelation, officials attached to presidential transport division informed the law enforcement authorities that at least 40 vehicles in the transport fleet of presidential secretariat have been disappeared at present.

These vehicles were in the pool of 749 vehicles before the invasion and forcibly occupation of protesters in the former parliamentary building complex after a daring take over of the premises by hundreds protest demonstrators.

There was no information what so ever on what has happened to 17 cars 12 motor cycles, 6 single cabs, 2 double cabs and 3 vehicles of other makes, senior official said adding that the transport division has a proper inventory of vehicles and other items under its custody before the forcibly taking over of the building.

This historic building had been occupied by protesters since July 9 and they fled the are following the military operation in the early hours of last Friday.   

The officer in charge of vehicle fleet  at the President’s House has already complained to the Fort Police Station that many parts of the vehicles in the President’s vehicle garage have been stolen.

He noted that about 20 vehicles were parked in that garage and he cannot say anything about how many vehicles were there at the president’s vehicle pool as relevant documents were missing.

Meanwhile, video footage has also been released on the fleet of vehicles found at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo.the fleet of over 15 vehicles found at the Presidential Secretariat includes luxury cars and SUVs. 

The mandate given by the people in the last presidential election and the general election has now been cancelled and therefore, a general election should be held as soon as possible to pave the way for a new mandate, said former Chairman of the Election Commission Mahinda Deshapriya.

The ex Commission Chief added that should elections be held for the establishment of democracy, there are institutions to bear the costs for it and countries like Afghanistan and Bangladesh can be pointed out as examples for such scenarios.

The holding of an election amidst this economic crisis may not be much of a problem in the event that the government officials have already declared that they are ready to engage in election duties without receiving any allowance, he added.

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Despite the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation’s (CEYPETCO) claim of fuel being available with enough stocks, not every filling station will receive petrol and diesel given that the distribution has been restricted, Kumara Rajapaksa, President of the Filling Station Owners’ Association, told media today (25).

In the backdrop, the filling station owners urged the consumers to reach only the filling stations where fuel is available and the required fuel can be collected as the information pertaining to fuel availability is updated daily on the internet.

Waiting in queues would be unnecessary in the event that fuel will be distributed only according to the vehicle number and the QR Code system, Rajapaksa added.

He noted that the vehicle number system and the QR Code system are successfully being implemented.

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Media release by former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal on 25th July 2022:
Private Plaint filed by Keerthi Tennekoon against former Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal in the Colombo Magistrate’s Court was not taken up today due to the restrictions in the number of cases being taken up as a result of the country conditions.

At the same time, the overseas travel ban on Governor Cabraal was not contested by his lawyers, who confirmed that the former Governor has no intention of leaving the country and will resist all charges made by the complainant in Court.

The fuel distribution initiative under the National Fuel Pass QR Code system will not be implemented as planned across the island today, revealed the Energy Ministry in a statement.

The Ministry added that however, only a few selected fuel stations will be distributing fuel under the system.

Meanwhile, the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) in a statement said that the programme is still being implemented despite the difficulties, adding that the initiative will undergo as a pilot project at several fuel stations.

MIAP