DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS
Tamil Headlines
Virakesari: A petition seeking postponement of (the presidential) election dismissed by a three-member panel of judges; petitioner ordered to pay Rs. 500,000 as court costs | Electricity tariff reduced by 22.5%; 27% reduction for domestic users
Thinakaran: Electricity tariff further reduced; concession for the livelihood of the people | Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry to visit Romania, Poland | (Douglas) Devananda to leave for Hyderabad to participate in the aquatic resources summit | “India’s assistance to Sri Lanka during the economic crisis was timely” – (Rauff) Hakeem | President fulfils the request of Anamaduwa Jayasuriya Maha Vidyalaya students | Religious and civil society leaders commend electricity tariff reduction
Thinakkural: Court dismisses the second petition seeking an interim order to halt the presidential election | “What is your solution for the ethnic crisis?” – Intellectuals and educators question the JVP
Thamilan: Presidential election; petition filed (seeking to halt the election) dismissed; petitioner ordered to pay Rs. 500,000 as court costs | Electricity tariff reduced
Sinhala Headlines
Lankadeepa: Second petition against the presidential election dismissed: Lawyer ordered to pay a Rs. 500,000 court fee for wasting the time of the court | Electricity tariff reduced by 22.5%: 30% reduction for religious places, 25% for hotels and industrial sectors | University non-academic staff strike concludes
Divaina: The second petition against the presidential election also dismissed: Petitioner ordered to pay Rs. 500,000: Chief Justice strictly advises petitioner | “Pay the full compensation to the victims of the Easter Sunday Attack before August 30 as ordered by the court” – SC orders Maithripala, Pujith and Nilantha; Will be considered as Contempt of Court if the full amount is not paid | “Will not arrest Piumi (Hansamali) till September 20” – AG informs the court | Electricity tariff to be reduced by Rs. 22.5 from today onwards
Ada: Compensation for Easter Sunday Attack victims to be paid before August 30: SC orders Maithripala, Pujith and Nilantha; AG ordered to file a case for Contempt of Court if compensation is not paid in full; Hemasiri and Sisira released from the case as they have paid the compensation in full; National Police Commission blamed for not acting on former Chief of State Intelligence Service SDIG Nilantha (Jayawardena)
Mawbima: Compensation for Easter Sunday Attack victims to be paid before August 30: SC orders Maithripala, Pujith and Nilantha | Second petition requesting the presidential election to be postponed also dismissed; Petitioner also to pay Rs. 500,000 (court costs)
Dinamina: A massive reduction in the electricity tariff; A great relief for the lives of the people
Aruna: If compensation for the Easter Sunday Attack is not paid before August 30, Maithripala, Pujith and Nilantha will be sued: Maithripala has only paid Rs. 58 million out of Rs. 100 million; The Chief Justice blames the (National Police) Commission for not taking disciplinary action against Nilantha; Pujith’s property can be auctioned and the compensation can be paid
Anidda: This paper is published on Fridays only
TAMIL PRESS PRIORITIES
Photo credits: Ada Derana
“I will establish a strong provincial council system” – Sajith Premadasa
Virakesari, Thinakkural
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa assured that he will commit to protecting the democratic, political, economic and social rights of the Northern people.
Reassuring that the 13th Amendment to the Constitution would be fully implemented, he noted that a strong provincial council system would be established, through which the people’s aspirations would be fulfilled.
Addressing the media in Mannar, he added that he would take steps to address the problems faced by the fishing community in the North and resolve them at the diplomatic level, “which the government has failed to do.”
12 human skeletons exhumed in the third phase of the Kokkuthoduvai mass grave excavation
Thamilan
It was reported that 12 human skeletons were exhumed during the third phase of the excavation at the mass grave at Kokkuthoduvai in Mullaitivu.
The skeletons are suspected to be those of LTTE members. 40 skeletons had been exhumed in the previous phases. So far, 52 skeletons have been exhumed from the site.
“Rs. 10 billion allocated for the presidential election” – Wajira Abeywardana
Thamilan
UNP MP Wajira Abeywardana stated that Rs. 10 billion has been allocated to the Election Commission to conduct the presidential election.
He noted that the election would be held before October 17.
“India assisted during the economic crisis; ever grateful to India for its timely support” – (Rauff) Hakeem
Thinakaran
Leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), MP Rauff Hakeem stated that Sri Lanka is “ever grateful” to India for extending huge financial assistance when it faced economic turmoil a couple of years ago.
Speaking to journalists at the Tiruchirappalli Airport, he added that Sri Lanka faced a massive economic crisis because of mounting debts and was unable to settle loans received from foreign nations.
“It was at this juncture that India extended huge financial assistance to Sri Lanka when it faced the worst economic crisis, with severe fuel shortages affecting its citizens,” he further added.
SINHALA PRESS PRIORITIES
Photo credits: Ada Derana
“Piumi will not be arrested till September 20” – AG promises the Court of Appeal
Divaina, Ada, Dinamina
The Attorney General (AG) promised the Court of Appeal that Sri Lankan entrepreneur and model Piumi Hansamali will not be arrested until her writ petition is taken up for hearing on September 20.
Hansamali filed a writ petition in the Court of Appeal challenging the legality of the investigations conducted by the Illegal Assets Investigations Division of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over the alleged suspicious acquisition of property.
Vasudeva’s party handed over to a young leader
Divaina
A new leader will be appointed to the Democratic Left Front (DLF) today (16th), which is currently led by MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara.
Internal sources state that a young former MP will be appointed as the new leader of the party.
The new leadership appointment followed the stepping down of its current leader, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, who established the party following his entry into politics in 1970.
Hirunika’s bail appeal verdict to be delivered on July 22
Ada
The Colombo High Court decided to announce the verdict regarding the bail appeal for former MP Hirunika Premachandra on July 22.
Premachandra is currently in remand custody, as the Colombo High Court sentenced the former MP to three years of rigorous imprisonment on June 28.
“No use has come of the Rs. 1,400 million that was given for development by the WB” – Audit reports reveal
Mawbima
Audit reports revealed that the funds that have been given by the World Bank (WB) for regional development projects have been underutilised.
A sum of Rs. 1,400 million had been given for the development projects.
COMMON PRIORITIES: SINHALA & TAMIL PRESS
Photo credits: Ada Derana
Electricity tariff reduced by 22.5%: 30% reduction for religious places, 25% for hotels and industrial sectors
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural, Thamilan
The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) announced that the total electricity tariff will be reduced by 22.5% from midnight yesterday (15th).
Accordingly, the reduced electricity charges will be applied for all five categories – domestic, religious, industries, hotels and general purposes.
A 30% reduction was made for religious places, while a 25% reduction was made for hotels and industrial sectors.
Second petition against the presidential election dismissed: Lawyer ordered to pay a Rs. 500,000 court fee for wasting the court’s time
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Viakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural, Thamilan
The Supreme Court (SC) dismissed the second Fundamental Rights (FR) petition filed seeking to prevent the holding of the presidential election this year.
The petitioner argued that the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was not enacted properly and that conducting a presidential election without a referendum violated the Constitution.
The Court ordered the petitioner to pay a court fee of Rs. 500,000 for wasting the time of the court and strictly advised the petitioner on the case.
Common priorities: Additional stories
1. “Pay the full compensation to the victims of the Easter Sunday Attack before August 30 as ordered by the court” – SC orders Maithripala, Pujith and Nilantha; Will be considered as Contempt of Court if the full amount is not paid – Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Viakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural, Thamilan
2. “The court must not intervene in the executive power of the parliament” – President – Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Thinakkural
3. University non-academic staff strike concludes – Lankadeepa, Mawbima, Dinamina, Thinakaran, Thinakkural