2 April 2025 | Vol. 11, #58

DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS

Virakesari: The Court of Appeal has issued a restraining order against the returning officers of 30 local government bodies, including the Colombo Municipal Council, from conducting election work until today | Compromise on three nominations; attorney general objects to 34 petitions; further consideration on April 3 | “Provincial council elections will not be held this year” – Nalinda Jayatissa   

Thinakaran: Personal income tax revision; effective from yesterday | President informs about Rajapaksa’s actions in fraudulently paying compensation for a house that was burnt down during the aragalaya protest | “Provincial council elections will not be held this year; it is also necessary to focus on development” – Nalinda Jayatissa | University of Jaffna ragging incident; four senior students suspended from classes

Thinakkural: Rejection of local government election nominations; High Court verdict this week; government to respond tomorrow | “Why were government side
nominations not rejected in the North and East; [we] will file cases?” – Sumanthiran

Thamilan: Three investigations into Lyca ownership of Sri Lankan media companies | Dismiss election cases! Attorney General’s Department urges the Supreme Court; Court of Appeal yesterday banned councils with pending cases from proceeding with election proceedings

Lankadeepa: Election activities of several LG bodies including CMC suspended for a day: orders issued to returning officers; 30 nomination related petitions | A ‘duplicate Sewwandi’ found in Anuradhapura: Had been romantically involved with a former major; had been in possession of ice and kush (drugs) worth Rs. 3.5 million; two vehicles and several mobile phones also found  

Divaina: TIN required when registering a new vehicle: The circular which was issued previously, amended

Ada: The rice mafia runs successfully: A serious shortage in keeri samba and samba (rice); a kilo of keeri samba increased from Rs. 310 to Rs. 320, a kilo of samba increased from Rs. 270 to Rs. 290; bills labelled as ‘other’ instead of being labelled as rice   

Mawbima: TIN compulsory for vehicle registration from April 15| The stolen miraculous statue from Kandana found; the gold jewellery adorning the statue stolen | “If vehicles continue to use the road around the Kandy lake, its bank will crack” – An irrigations head claims 

Dinamina: The new tax system begins: Many concessions for taxpayers | Chamara remanded once again for causing a loss of Rs. 1.73 million to the government

Aruna: TIN compulsory for RMV related activities except for motorbikes, three-wheelers and tractors; new law to be imposed from April 15

Anidda: This paper is published on Fridays only