SUNDAY 25 OCTOBER 2020 LATEST EDITION VOL: 09/49 PRICE : RS 70.00 Inside Stories COVID-19 Slipping Out of Control? COVID-19 claimed the life of the 14th Sri Lankan on Thursday (22). Although the country may not have the epic number of deaths that are being recorded in other countries, the infected numbers were escalating by the 100s overnight. A4 Curfew declared SJB to Sack in Maradana, Dematagoda Betrayers Lab techs urge public to be wary BY DILANTHI JAYAMANNE, THARAKA SAMMAN AND BY METHMALIE KUSUM S. HENNADI (KELANIYA CORRESPONDENT) DISSANAYAKE Indefinite quarantine curfew was imposed in The Samagi Jana Dematagoda and Maradana Police areas from Friday Balawegaya (SJB) has night. Meanwhile, quarantine curfew was also imposed in decided to sack its Payagala, Beruwala and Aluthgama Police areas until 5 Parliamentarians who a.m. Monday (26). Army Commander Lt. General voted in favour of the 20th Shavendra Silva also said Gulavita North and South, Amendment to the Wedawatte, Magurumaswila and Makandalawa villages in Constitution, Party Walallawita Divisional Secretariat Division in the Kalutara Secretary and MP Ranjith District declared as isolated areas until further notice. Maddumabandara said. Meanwhile, despite claims made by the Epidemiology Earlier, nine MPs of the Unit of the Health Ministry that there is no community SJB sent a letter to Party spread as far as the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the Secretary Ranjith Aravind Kumar Ali Sabri Raheem Diana Gamage Faizal Cassim country is concerned, Medical Laboratory Technologists Maddumabandara, (MLTs) urged the public to act as if there was community demanding the removal of spread. those who voted in favour of the 20th Amendment Story Continued on PAGE 2 Bill on 22 October. The 20th Amendment was passed with a two- 1987 Aranthalawa massacre thirds majority in Parliament. SJB National of Buddhist monks List MP Diana Gamage and six Members of the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) and the Sri Lanka AG instructs Muslim Congress (SLMC), which are constituent... H. M. M. Harees Habiz Nazeer Ishak Rahuman M. S. Thoufeek Story Continued on PAGE 2 Acting IGP to Five contract killers Diana claims some SJB initiate probe in OCD crosshairs MPs approve her stance BY HANSI NANAYAKKARA Y EERTHI ENDIS Attorney General Dappula de B K M BY W.K. PRASAD MANJU present Government thereby Livera has given instructions to the The Organised Crimes Division (OCD) said they are overhauling the 1978 Constitution, Acting Inspector General of Police currently keeping close tabs on five gunmen involved in Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) some of the SJB MPs, could back its Chandana D. Wickramaratne, to killing people on contract at the behest of underworld figures. National List Parliamentarian and its ratification in the Legislature.” commence a probe into the mass An officer from the OCD said, these five hit men had Assistant Secretary, Diana Gamage Gamage stressed that she had murder of Buddhist monks at earlier been arrested by the security forces on similar said, there are yet a few MPs in her voted for the 20th Amendment Aranthalawa in June, 33 years charges and produced in Court and remanded. political alliance agreeing with the proposed by the Government, as a ago. stance taken by her to vote for the President who was elected by the Story Continued on PAGE 2 now ratified 20th Amendment Bill in vote of the masses, should be Story Continued on PAGE 2 Parliament. allowed to perform his or her duties, She remarked, “When a fresh without being shackled by the Constitution is formulated by the Articles in the Constitution. Story Continued on PAGE 2 Zaharan’s PM hopes widow UN will testifies continue its before PCoI support BY BUDDHIKA SAMARAWEERA Prime Minister Mahinda Abdul Cader Fatima Hadiya, wife Rajapaksa, in his of the late National Thowheed message on the Jama’ath Leader Zaharan Hashim, 75th anniversary testified before the Presidential of the United Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) into Nations (UN), the 2019 Easter Sunday expressed hope bombings, on 23 October. the UN would She also appeared before the continue to Commission on 22 October. Her extend its support to Sri Lanka in evidence was not recorded... order to achieve Sustainable... Story Continued on PAGE 2 Story Continued on PAGE 2 Committee on Public Finance Govt wins Chair BY GAGANI WEERAKOON AND Committee Members to decide on METHMALIE DISSANAYAKE the Chair. The motion received 87 votes for and 17 votes against it. Disagreements between When the motion was moved at Government ranks and the main the commencement of public Opposition Party legislators led business by Leader of the to a vote being taken on the House and Minister Dinesh motion regarding the Chair of Gunawardena, Samagi Jana the Committee on Public Balawegaya (SJB) Finance. Parliamentarians opposed it, It was passed with a saying, the Chair should be majority of 60 votes in given to the Opposition. Parliament on 23 SJB Colombo District October, thus MP Dr. Harsha de Silva enabling the got up and opposed... Story Continued on PAGE 2 A2 SUNDAY 25 OCTOBER 2020 NEWS Appeal against HC sil cloth ruling Indian HC Defence Advisor tours East The Defence Adviser to the and Area Commander during these meetings. High Commission of India, Security Forces Headquarters Sood visited the Sivananda Appellate Court Captain (IN) Vikas Sood, (East) on 16,17 and 20 Thapovanam, Trincomalee, called on the COMEAST Sri October, respectively. which runs an orphanage for Lanka Navy, GOC 22 Division Matters on bilateral defence about 50 children and a Sri Lanka Army, cooperation and support to donation in kind was made Commandant Sri Lanka Air strengthen the defence and areas of support were Verdict on 13 Nov Force Academy, China Bay relationships were discussed discussed. BY KAMAL WEERARATNA High Court (CHC) on the of the two appellants were charge of distributing sil made by Attorney Kanchana The Court of Appeal on 23 cloths in the run up to the Ratwatte on 4 October while October decided to announce 2015 Presidential Poll by the submissions on behalf of the verdict of the appeal filed misappropriating State funds, the Attorney General were by the former President’s on 13 November. made by Deputy Solicitor Secretary Lalith Weeratunga The appeal is being perused General Thusith Mudalige, and the former Head of the by a two-Judge Bench of the two days later. Telecommunications Court comprising Justices Accordingly, the Court Regulatory Commission Kumuduni Wickremasinghe announced that its verdict on Anusha Pelpita, against their and Devika Abeyratne. the appeal would be delivered convictions by the Colombo The submissions on behalf on the said date. Podi Lassie’s petition fixed for support BY KAMAL WEERARATNE the Prison officials to take Claiming that he has measures to ensure his received serious threats to The Court of Appeal, on 23 personal safety. his life while in Prison, the October, fixed the petition The Court issued notice to petitioner noted that the filed by underworld figure the Superintendent of the Prison authorities are duty- Janith Madushanka alias Boossa Prison, the bound to ensure the safety of ‘Podi Lassie’, for support on Commissioner General of inmates. 10 November. Prisons, the Acting Inspector ‘Podi Lassie’ was named as The petition was taken up General of Police and several the second suspect in the Boost for Kilinochchi OBITUARY by the President of the Court, others, who were cited as the case filed over the death Justice A.H.M.D. Nawaz and respondents in the petition. threats made in public at the Justice Sobhitha Rajakaruna. ‘Podi Lassie’ is currently Boossa Prison, against the agri sector H. N. Karunawathi Through his petition, ‘Podi being held at the high- President, the Defence Minister of Fisheries Devananda had stated Lassie’, claims to have security Prison in Boossa Secretary and certain high- Douglas Devananda has that during the height of passes away received threats to his life and over several criminal ranking officers of the Prisons taken steps to release the war, some H.N. Karunawathi, the mother of has prayed the Court to order offences. Department. lands coming under the thousands of acres in the Mawbima Regional News Editor, purview of the the Kilinochchi, Ruwini Sumudumali Guruge, Department of Wildlife Vavuniya and passed away recently. Conservation in the Mullathivu Districts had Karunawathi, who was 71 at the Kilinochchi District, as a been abandoned, and time of her demise, was the spouse way to boost the observed that such of the late P.G. Cyril of Matara. Patient transferred to SJGH – Hemas agriculture sector in the lands could be utilised They had served at the Lanka area. towards the development SATHOSA before retiring. Hemas Hospital Thalawathugoda in a The Ministry of of the agriculture sector. The rest of the children of the statement to Media said, a patient who visited Fisheries stated that a He urged Ratnayake to couple are Tasila, Namini, Chamila, the Emergency Treatment Unit of the Hospital discussion in this regard release these lands Harshani, Lasanthi, Sandamali and on 19 October was transferred to the Sri had been held between coming under the Chandana Priyantha. Jayewardenepura General Hospital (SJGH) on the Minister of Wildlife purview of the The remains of the late the advice of the Consultant Nephrologists and Forest Conservation Department of Wildlife Karunawathi were placed at the where this patient tested COVID-19 positive on C.B. Ratnayake and Conservation in the said Boralesgamuwa Funeral Parlour 20 October. Devananda at the Districts for agricultural while her funeral took place on 23 The patient was not exposed to public areas former’s Ministry on 19 activities, to which the October. of the facility. October. latter consented. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Govt wins Chair..