Category: Legal
BASL condemns recent references made to role of Judges & prosecutors
Dec 12, 2019 (LBO) – The Bar Association of Sri Lanka condemns recent statements made with reference to concluded cases, pending litigation, role of Judges, role of prosecutors and the right of representation relating to litigants who are parties to court. It is a basic tenet in our criminal justice system that every suspect or […]
Sri Lanka bans import of spices, minor export crops for re-export
Dec 06, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Finance Ministry has prohibited the importation of spices and minor export crops for the purpose of re-export or re-export after minor processing. The Finance Ministry said in a statement that this restriction has been imposed as a measure to protect small export crop growers and SMEs. Accordingly, the […]
Conservative manifesto contains distortion about Sri Lanka: SL Foreign Ministry
Dec 04, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry says that they took immediate steps to make strong representation to the Co-Chair of the Conservative Party with regard to the distortion contained in the manifesto in its reference to Sri Lanka. As per the Foreign Ministry, this was conveyed through a letter by Sri Lanka’s […]
Gotabaya released from all indictments filed over D A Rajapaksa memorial case
Nov 21, 2019 (LBO) – President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been released from all indictments filed over the alleged misappropriation of public funds for the construction of the D A Rajapaksa Memorial. The Permanent High Court’s Trial at Bar also decided to lift the overseas travel ban imposed on Rajapaksa and to release the impounded passport. […]
Strengthening Right to Information in Sri Lanka
Nov 13, 2019 (LBO) – The Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes that freedom of expression includes the ‘right to seek, receive and impart information’. The right to information is, therefore, a fundamental right and an essential component of a democratic society. In Sri Lanka, the right to seek and receive information is a constitutional […]
Finance Ministry has no legal authority to sign MCC: Bar Association of Sri Lanka
Nov 05, 2019 (LBO) – Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) says that the Finance Ministry has no legal authority to sign the MCC Agreement which contains many more matters other than a simple agreement to borrow money from the lender. According to BASL, the proposed agreement goes much beyond a simple loan or grant […]
Sec Aryasinha on Sri Lanka’s obstacles on peacekeeping contribution to UN
Oct 01, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha at the 74th UN General Assembly Session, met with Jean-Pierre Lacroix, under secretary general of the United Nations Department of Peace Operations (USSG/UNDPO) in New York to discuss obstacles placed on Sri Lanka’s peacekeeping contribution to the UN. Upon the Foreign Secretary seeking clarification on […]
Sri Lankan billionaire Raj Rajaratnam released after 8 years in prison
September 9, 2019 (LBO) – Former hedge fund titan and billionaire Raj Rajaratnam has been released from prison early after being incarcerated for almost 8 years. He was released approximately 2-3 years early due to a new law passed in the United States which proffers leniency to those who are over 60 years of age […]
SL and Australia to strengthen cooperation to counter people smuggling
Sep 06, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka and Australia have re-dedicated themselves to counter people smuggling and discussed in detail avenues for strengthening cooperation to address the recent escalation of the number of people-smuggling ventures from Sri Lanka to Australia since May, 2019. Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha expressed Sri Lanka’s fullest support to Australia in […]
Sri Lanka cabinet grants approval to amend Muslim Marriage & Divorce Act
Aug 21, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to amend the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act. The proposal contains amendments to the Act including the legal age for a Muslim marriage (minimum age 18) and the process that should be followed when registering a marriage. There are also proposals […]
Special hotline 1913 for public complaints on illegal liquor
Aug 18, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Excise Department will launch a special four-digit hotline 1913 from tomorrow to receive public complaints on illegal Liquor. This round the clock 24-hour hotline will receive confidential complaints about illegal manufacturing of liquor in any part of the country. According to Commissioner General of Excise Department, transporting and […]
Sri Lanka imposes ban on selling imported liquor without foolproof sticker
July 30, 2019 (LBO) – Excise Department has banned the sale of all brands of imported liquor without the new foolproof sticker introduced recently by the Department. Accordingly, the possession, transportation, storing and the sale of imported liquor is illegal unless this new sticker is affixed on containers of foreign liquor. The Excise Notice No: […]