Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday told the House that the government would not release the Iranathivu island situated eight nautical miles off Kilinochchi coast to resettle its original dwellers as the Navy has pointed out the need of the land for security purposes.

The island was of utmost importance as a strategic location, the Prime Minister said adding that the Navy needed it to curtail Indian fishers poaching in Lankan waters and tackle drug smugglers coming from India.

Responding to a question raised by TNA MP S. Sritharan who asked the government to release the island to the families who lived there before the North East conflict, the Prime Minister said that there was no single civilian living in the Iranathivu island belonging to the Kilinochchi District currently. As a result of the conflict, 434 persons belonging to 190 families who lived there had left the island during 1992-1994 period. Those people have been given alternative lands to resettle by the government in 1994 and 2014 at Iranamatha Nagar, Nachchikuda, Ambapuram and Yahappar villages.

Since the island had been identified as a strategic location, the Navy had stationed its men there and maintaining a Radar centre. However, those who engaged in fishing and agriculture were being permitted to ply their trades in and around the island. The fishers were permitted to come to the coast of the island to dry and mend their nets. There were temporary shelters in the island for their use. There was a 10 acre coconut grove in the island and their rightful owners could come and take the coconut harvest. One of the main Christian churches known as Sebamale Matha Shrine is situated in the island. The navy has permitted those who visit the church for the feast and other religious activities. The navy provides water, food and shelter, medicinal facilities and life saving for the travellers during the feast period with the concurrence of the father of the church. Secretary to the Ministry of Defence had informed the Premier that the island was at a strategic location and therefore it should be maintained under the purview of the Navy, PM Wickremesinghe said.

MP Sritharan said that he attempted to visit the island but the Navy did not permit him. "The civilians are not entitled to visit the island. Those days they cited the LTTE as the reason. Now the war is over and there are no LTTE activities. Then why cannot the rightful owners of the lands in that island visit their native place?" the MP asked.

The Prime Minister said that he would appoint a committee comprising Minister of Prisons and Rehabilitation M Swaminathan, State Defence Minister Ruwan Wijewardene and Navy top brass and asked the MP to forward their questions to the committee. The committee would look into the needs of those who wanted to visit the island and facilitate them, he said.

The Election Commission formally announced that the 2024 Presidential election will be held on a day between September 17 and October 16.

The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court today issued an order preventing State Minister Diana Gamage from leaving the country. Colombo Chief Magistrate Thilina Gamage made this order in connection with a magisterial inquiry filed against her for allegedly committing offences under the Immigrants and Emigrants Act.

A total of 37 new liquor permits (FL4) were issued by the Excise Department during the first four months of this year, State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said today. He told Parliament that 16 out of the 37 were issued to super markets.

Claiming that Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa must take full responsibility over the issues faced by the country, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said today that if Premadasa had taken up the premiership on April 10, there would have been no issues.

There is no legal barrier for the non-citizens to register a political party, Former Chairman of Elections Commission Mahinda Deshapriya said yesterday.

It has been reported that a group in the government ranks is attempting to file a case with the Supreme Court over the legitimacy of the main opposition party – Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB).

Leg-spinner Viyaskanth Vijayakanth was handed his Indian Premier League debut today after he was named in the Sunrisers Hyderabad playing XI against the Lucknow Super Giants. Vijayakanth was drafted into the Sunrisers squad after Sri Lankan all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga was ruled out of the tournament due to injury.

The Supreme Court in another landmark judgment today held that State Minister Diana Gamage is disqualified to be a Member of Parliament and is thus not entitled to hold office as a Member of Parliament, as she was not a citizen of Sri Lanka.

Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security along with Controller General of the Department of Immigration and Emigration have been summoned before the Committee on Public Finance tomorrow, CoPF Chairman Dr. Harsha De Silva said today.

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) will hold a discussion shortly to decide on who will fill the national list slot that has fallen vacant as a result of the Supreme Court decision that Diana Gamage cannot function as an MP as she is not a citizen of Sri Lanka, party General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara said today.

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) founder Basil Rajapaksa reasserted yesterday that his party still believes the general election should precede the presidential elections but President Ranil Wickremesinghe has a contrasting stand, according to an informed source of the party.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe stressed that the enhancement of the rural economy pivots on agricultural advancement. He highlighted the pivotal role of dedicated government officials at the grassroots level in ensuring the success of various government initiatives aimed at rural development, notably the agricultural modernization program.

A deal struck by Sri Lanka with IVS-GBS-VFS Global, a private contractor, is worth 840 million dollars over its 12-year lifetime, opposition legislator S M Marikkar said in parliament. The firm was charging 18.5 dollars per visa and a 5 to 7 dollar ‘convenience fee’ on top of the government visa fee from tourists trying to enter Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka’s Tourism Minister Harin Fernando said he has objected to fees charged from foreign tourists by VFS Global, a private company, though he has not resigned from cabinet.

Sri Lanka’s Public Security Minister Tiran Alles who is also in charge of visa issuance under the Department of Immigration and Emigration defended the newly appointed visa facilitating agency VFS-led consortium, new visa system, and accused sabotage attempts by a few handful immigration officials for a recent controversy that has gone viral in social media.

A revision application filed by Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe challenging the legality of the enjoining order issued by the Colombo District Court preventing him from functioning as the acting chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) was today dismissed by the Court of Appeal.

Indo-Pacific Regional Director of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Ben Mellor met NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the JVP Head Office this afternoon.

Chief Opposition Whip MP Lakshman Kiriella raised concerns in Parliament today over the newly introduced visa issuance system at the Katunayake Airport, claiming that the Parliament was not informed of the decision on the charges of global visa processing service, VFS Global.

Sri Lanka tourism witnessed a drop in momentum in April with the number of international visitors falling below the 200,000 mark for the first time this year.

Uncertainty looms over the relaunch of the Japan -financed light rail project (LRT) even after the country’s debt restructuring process is concluded since Japan has decided not to discuss it , according to an official of the Japanese government.