DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS
Tamil Headlines
Virakesari: Nominations are today; 40 candidates paid deposits | Postal voting on September 4, 5 and 6| Pictorial: President signing the nomination paper
Thinakaran: A relief for personal income tax expected soon; government pays attention to the two proposals submitted to the IMF and the Treasury on this matter; agreement with the international community for economic recovery cannot be violated” – President expresses at the conference of university lecturers | An SLFP headed new political alliance by the name of Podujana Eksath Peramuna formed | Thai PM removed from office
Thinakkural: Nominations today under tight security; 40 candidates paid deposits | Ranil Wickremesinghe rejects Maithripala Sirisena | Will the court bar Ranil Wickremesinghe from contesting the election; an FR petition filed against the president on the charge of violating the constitution by appointing Ali Sabry as minister of justice
Thamilan: 40 candidates in the election race; nominations are today | Postal voting dates released | Wage increase to Rs. 1,700 gazetted | FR petition filed before the Supreme Court challenging the candidature of Ranil Wickremesinghe | Podujana Eksath Peramuna formed to support the president
Sinhala Headlines
Lankadeepa: A doctors’ row at the Anuradhapura hospital: a doctor hospitalised | 40 in line for the seat of the president | EC halts pirith ceremony organised to wish success to the president
Divaina: 40 place security bonds for the ninth presidential election; 23 competing from parties and 17 independently; who will be among the chosen? The decision to be made by the EC today; window to express objections from 9 am to 11.30 am; the area where the EC is situated in Rajagiriya is a special high-security zone today
Ada: Seven who took a bribe of Rs. 30 million to hand over the party for Janaka [Ratnayake] to compete in the presidential election caught
Mawbima: Seven who took a bribe of Rs. 30 million to hand over the party to Janaka Ratnayake, who placed the security bond for the presidential election, caught | 2024 Presidential Election: 22 renowned political parties, 17 independent candidates and a candidate from one other party place security bonds; a special traffic plan for Rajagiriya today
Dinamina:“A relief for the personal income tax targeting scholars and the middle class: middle class to benefit from the proposal to widen the tax range” – President states at the University Lecturers’ Conference | “The Podujana Eksath Peramuna (People’s Alliance) comprising 21 parties and organisations, led by the SLFP, extends its support to the president” – Anura Priyadarshana Yapa
Aruna: Attempt to obtain a Rs. 30 million bribe from Janaka [Ratnayake] to hand over the party | Nominations to be submitted today | Five MPs are running for the presidency; five former MPs will also be competing
Anidda: This paper is published on Fridays only
TAMIL PRESS PRIORITIES
Photo credits: Ceylon News
Sumanthiran urges president to give assurance prior to the election on the powers of 13A
Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural
Virakesari reports that ITAK MP M.A. Sumanthiran has urged the president to give an assurance prior to the election that the constitution will be amended in such a way that the powers to be delegated under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution (13A) are irrevocable.
Thinakkural and Thinakaran report Sumanthiran as stating that the president had discussions with him on the matters mentioned in the document that he gave the president at the all-party meeting in 2022 regarding devolution under 13A, and that the president consults relevant parties for the implementation of 13A.
Indian high commissioner meets Sumanthiran in Colombo
Virakesari, Thamilan
A meeting between ITAK MP M.A. Sumanthiran and Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha was held yesterday (14th). Sumanthiran explained to Santosh Jha various matters such as that all three main presidential candidates have agreed to fully implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution (13A) and that President Ranil Wickremesinghe has promised to devolve the powers that were left out when implementing 13A. Santosh Jha advised Sumanthiran to bargain with all candidates on the matter of fully implementing devolution before deciding on whom to support as it would be a better approach.
“A common Tamil candidate is the right
of the people in the North and East” – Mano Ganesan
Thinakkural
SJB MP Mano Ganesan stated that the Tamil people in the Northern and Eastern Provinces and their national political parties have the full right to
nominate a common Tamil presidential candidate. He added that he neither rejected nor opposed the nomination of such a candidate and that he finds the idea of nominating a common Tamil candidate a matter of dignity, and as such it is a fair motive.
“Parliament to be dissolved on September 22” – Vijitha Herath
Thinakkural
NPP MP Vijitha Herath stated that parliament is to be dissolved on September 22. He added that NPP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayaka will win in the upcoming presidential election on September 21, and immediately after his victory parliament will be dissolved.
SINHALA PRESS PRIORITIES
Photo credits: NewsWire
Declarations of assets and liabilities of presidential candidates to be submitted with nominations – CIABOC
Ada, Dinamina
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) issued a notice stating that all candidates competing in the 2024 Presidential Election must submit their declarations of assets and liabilities to the Election Commission (EC) when submitting their nominations. The announcement further reads that after the candidates submit their nominations and declarations of assets and liabilities to the EC, the related statements will be handed over to the CIABOC.
Rajitha Senaratne’s SJB post handed over to Tillakaratne Dilshan
Divaina, Mawbima
Former cricketer Tillakaratne Dilshan was appointed as the Kalutara District organiser of the SJB, a position which was vacated by MP Rajitha Senaratne who recently extended his support to President Ranil Wickremesinghe in the upcoming presidential election. Tillakaratne Dilshan announced his support for Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa in the upcoming presidential election with the intention of supporting Premadasa’s efforts to build and develop the country.
“Names of 40 candidates to be printed from top to bottom on the same ballot paper” – Government printer
Divaina
Government Printer Gangani Liyanage stated that the government press will be able to print the names and symbols of all 40 candidates competing in the 2024 Presidential Election on one ballot paper as opposed to two. Liyanage added that the ballot paper is 27 inches in length and that the press will follow the instructions of the Election Commission (EC) on how the ballots must be printed.
“Remove the PMD from me” – Minister of Agriculture Amaraweera writes to the president’s secretary
Mawbima, Aruna
Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries Mahinda Amaraweera has written to the secretary to the president asking him to immediately remove the Paddy Marketing Board (PMD) from under his purview. Amaraweera wrote further that the PMD be handed over to the Ministry of Finance if funds are not provided to purchase the paddy harvest of the Yala season through the PMD this year.
COMMON PRIORITIES: SINHALA & TAMIL PRESS
Photo credits: Hiru News
40 in line for the seat of the president | Nominations to be accepted today
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural, Thamilan
The Election Commission (EC) announced that 40 candidates have placed their security deposits for the 2024 Presidential Election to be held in September. Accordingly, 23 candidates from political parties and 17 independent candidates will be competing in the election. The acceptance of nominations will take place from 9 am to 11 am today (15th). Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake stated that submission of objections can also be made from 9 am to 11 am. Acting Police Media Spokesperson DIG Ruwan Gunasekara stated that a special security and traffic program will be implemented around the Election Commission in Rajagiriya today (15th).
Seven who took a bribe of Rs. 30 million to hand over the party for Janaka [Ratnayake] to compete in the presidential election caught
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Thinakkural, Thinakaran
Seven individuals including the secretary of the United Lanka Podujana Party (Eksath Lanka Podujana Pakshaya) were arrested over soliciting a bribe from the presidential candidate of the party, former Chair of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) Janaka Ratnayake. The suspects were arrested in response to a complaint lodged by Ratnayake.
Common priorities: Additional stories
1. “A relief for the personal income tax targeting scholars and the middle class: middle class to benefit from the proposal to widen the tax range” – President states at the University Lecturers’ Conference – Ada, Dinamina, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural
2. A petition to the SC to prevent Ranil from competing in the presidential election– Ada, Thinakkural, Thamilan
3. Postal voting to be carried out on September 4, 5, 6; September 11 and 12 allocated for those who were unable to vote – Divaina, Mawbima, Dinamina, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural, Thamilan