Author: TELO Admin

Issuing a special statement on 16 March, former President Ranil Wickremesinghe categorically rejected the findings of the ‘Batalanda’ Commission report.

Wickremesinghe made this statement after the Government tabled Batalanda Commission Report in Parliament on Friday (14 March).

Full Statement:
“After the signing of the Indo-Lanka Accord, the JVP launched a campaign of terror across the country. At that time, President J. R. Jayewardene delegated the responsibility of securing key areas to cabinet ministers. The Biyagama region housed several critical economic locations, including the oil refinery, the diesel power plant, the centre supplying Mahaweli electricity to Colombo, and the export processing zone. The army was called in to ensure security in this area.

To facilitate this, several abandoned houses belonging to the Ceylon Fertilizer Manufacturing Company were allocated for the security forces. Some houses were already occupied by Ceylon Electricity Board officials. Amidst the violence, the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Sapugaskanda Police Station was killed. At that time, Deputy Defence Minister Ranjan Wijeratne personally requested me to provide the vacant houses to police and military personnel for security purposes.

Accordingly, the liquidator at the time transferred the relevant houses to Kelaniya Superintendent of Police Nalin Delgoda. Meanwhile, several individuals, including a Provincial Council member, a Cooperative Council member, and a police sergeant, were murdered, and the house of another Provincial Council member was attacked.

The government at the time took steps to restore national security, rebuild the economy, and stabilise the country. However, after 1994, President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga appointed a commission to investigate claims of a torture chamber in Batalanda. Many individuals were summoned before the commission, and I was called only as a witness—at the time, I was the Leader of the Opposition.

The Batalanda Commission was established as part of a politically motivated smear campaign, but this attempt failed. The report merely states that it was inappropriate for a minister to allocate houses to police officers and that such transfers should have been handled by the Inspector General of Police (IGP). The Commission’s conclusion that Superintendent Nalin Delgoda and I were ‘indirectly responsible’ for this act is the only mention of my involvement. None of the other claims in the report apply to me.

The Commission report also outlines in detail the brutal terrorist acts committed by the JVP between 1988 and 1990, including a comprehensive history of these events in Chapter 3. Other than acknowledging these facts, I completely reject the report’s findings.

No one can claim that the Batalanda Commission report was hidden. It was completed in 2000, yet no one— including the JVP— requested a parliamentary debate on it. Many did not accept the report’s conclusions, which is why no steps were taken to discuss it in Parliament.

Furthermore, no government has ever used this report for narrow political gains. There is also no precedent— in Sri Lanka or any other democracy— for debating a commission report in Parliament 25 years after its publication.”

The Election Commission has issued a special announcement regarding the possible reasons for rejecting nomination papers submitted for the Local Government Elections.

According to the announcement, which outlines 11 points, the commission stated that if a candidate has not signed the nomination paper, the candidate’s name will be removed, and no substitute name can be added.

The statement also mentions that the deposit made on behalf of the candidate will be forfeited.

According to the Election Commission, the reasons for the rejection of nomination papers are as follows:

1. Submitted by an unauthorized person.

2. Absence of the prescribed number of candidates or exceeding the prescribed number of candidates.

3. Failure to deposit the required amount by a recognized political party or independent group.

4. Failure to obtain the signature of the party secretary or independent group leader.

5. Failure to certify the signature of the party secretary or independent group leader by a Justice of the Peace or a Notary Public.

6. Failure to include the prescribed number of candidates, including youth and women candidates.

7. Failure to submit a certified copy of the birth certificate of a candidate listed as a young candidate in the nomination paper, or submission of an affidavit confirming the date of birth with defects.

8. Failure of a candidate to sign the nomination paper.

9. Absence of the affidavit in the seventh schedule to the Constitution, or any defects in it.

10. If only one name in the nomination paper is rejected, and if the candidate to be removed is a youth (male or female) or a female candidate, the entire nomination paper will be rejected, as the minimum youth or women representation will not be met.

11. If only one name in the nomination paper is rejected, and if it doesn’t affect the youth or female representation, the name of the relevant candidate will be rejected.

Here are a list key dates and deadlines related to the 2025 Local Government Elections.

Deposit Submission Deadline: March 19th, 12:00 PM.

Nomination Submission Deadline: March 20th, 12:00 PM.

Objection Period: March 20th, 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM.

Announcement of Decisions: Decisions by the Returning Officers will be announced after the objection period.

Issuance of Symbols: Relevant symbols will be issued to independent parties thereafter.

Restrictions on Gatherings: No processions, vehicle parades, or gatherings are allowed after the submission of nominations.

Coordination with O/L Exams: Ensure no disruptions to candidates during the GCE O/L exams from March 17th to 26th.

Postal Voting Applications: Extended until March 17th, 12 midnight for 336 institutions that issued initial nomination notices.

Additional Postal Voting Applications: Allowed until March 19th for three institutions that issued subsequent nomination notices.

Sri Lankan born Gary Anandasangaree was sworn in as Canada’s new Justice Minister and Attorney General.

He took oaths in the presence of Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney.

The Canadian Bar Association welcomed the appointment of Anandasangaree as Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

“We look forward to working with him and his cabinet colleagues. We also want to thank former minister Arif Virani for his commitment to improving the justice system over the past few years, including his efforts to reduce judicial vacancies and strengthen access to justice,” the Canadian Bar Association said.

The CBA and the federal government share a common commitment to upholding the rule of law, promoting access to justice, and ensuring a fair and efficient legal system for all Canadians.

CBA members will continue offering their expertise and helping to shape laws and policies that reflect the evolving needs of society while maintaining the integrity of Canada’s legal institutions.