At least 11 Sri Lanka’s Members of Parliament (MPs) elected in the 2020 general elections are not anymore the legislature, either due to death or resignation or legal issues, official data showed.

With the latest death of ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) legislator K H Nandasena (69 years) on Thursday (04), the island nation’s Parliament has witnessed three deaths of elected MPs and the resignation of seven MPs.

Amarakeerthi Athukorala (57 years), a SLPP legislator, was killed by angry mobs on May 9, after the supporters of then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa brutally attacked unarmed protesters in capital Colombo.

Later SLPP legislator, State Minister Sanath Nishantha (48 years) was killed in a road accident in January this year.

The MPs who resigned the parliament seat or lost the parliament seat due to legal issue include Ranjan Ramanayaka (SJB), Ajith Nivard Cabraal (SLPP), Mahinda Samarasinghe (SLPP), Basil Rajapaksa (SLPP), Mujibur Rahuman (SJB), Chaminda Wijesiri (SJB), and Uddika Premarathne (SLPP).

Actor-turned politician Ranjan Ramanayaka from the main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) lost his parliamentary seat in April 2021 after being sentenced to 4 years of rigorous imprisonment on the basis of contempt of court regarding his comments on the corruption of the judiciary.

Ramanayaka was released later in August 2022.

In October last year, Sri Lanka’s former Environment Minister Naseer Ahamed also lost his seat after the Supreme Court, in its ruling deemed the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress’s (SLMC) decision to expel Environment Minister from the party as valid and lawful.

Another actor-turned politician Jayantha Ketagoda who came into the parliament under the SLPP national list resigned in July 2021 to facilitate the entry of the party strongman and SLPP strategist Basil Rajapaksa. Rajapaksa. Rajapaksa was appointed as the Finance Minister in the same month.

However, Ketagoda regained the same opportunity when SLPP national list MP and State Minister of Money and Capital Markets and State Enterprise Reform Ajith Nivard Cabraal resigned to become the Central Bank Governor in September 2021.

Cabraal was not given an opportunity to return to the parliament despite he resigned the governor post.

Later SLPP MP Mahinda Samarasinghe resigned from parliament in September 2021 to take up the Sri Lanka Ambassador post in the United States.

After the country declared sovereign debt default amid an unfolding political crisis, former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa resigned from the parliament in June 2022 amid public protests.

Mujibur Rahman, a SJB MP resigned from the parliament in January 2023 to contest as the Mayoral candidate for Colombo Municipal Council. However, the local government election has yet to be held.

Chaminda Wijesiri from SJB resigned in January this year while Uddhika Premaratne from SLPP quit in February 2024.

Claiming that relatives and comrades have a right to commemorate the war dead, NPP MP Vijitha Herath said today that the government must take steps to protect their rights.

A new election focused alliance led by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s (SLFP) Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva faction and the group of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna breakaway Opposition Parliamentarians led by Nimal Lanza is to be launched next month (June) from Hambantota, said Opposition Parliamentarian Anura Priyadarshana Yapa.

In response to complaints received regarding questions 09 and 39 of the GCE (O/L) Science Paper 1, the Examinations Commissioner General has announced a decision to award two free marks to all candidates who attempted these questions.

In the wake of the recent mass withdrawal of AstraZeneca vaccines due to concerns over rare blood clots, Sri Lanka health experts emphasized that individuals who have received the AstraZeneca vaccine need not harbour undue fears regarding its safety.

A delegation comprising 15 officials of the Sri Lankan Supreme Court completed a four-day training programme from May 9 to13 at the Supreme Court of India, a statement from the Indian High Commission said.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed Prime Minister and Local Government (LG) Minister Dinesh Gunawardena to look into the possibility of invalidating the nominations accepted for the postponed 2023 (last year) LG elections.

Three females and a male were arrested by the Sampur Police on Sunday night for violating a court order by holding a commemoration event in remembrance of the Mullivaikkal war dead. According to sources, the arrested had allegedly distributed porridge to neighbours in memory of their relatives who were killed during the armed conflict.

United States’ Assistant Secretary Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Donald Lu, called on President Ranil Wickremesinghe today (13) at the Presidential Secretariat.

Education Minister Susil Premajayantha revealed today that only 6,000 out of 34,000 pre-school teachers and assistant teachers in Sri Lanka are diploma holders.

Cabinet approval was granted today to commence the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Advanced Level (A/L) classes immediately after the completion of the GCE Ordinary Level (O/L) examinations.

Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Parliamentarian Duminda Dissanayake today instituted legal action before the Colombo District Court challenging the appointment of Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe and Keerthi Udawatta as SLFP Chairman and Acting General Secretary respectively.

Sri Lankan lawmaker Dayasiri Jayasekera speaking in Parliament highlighted the plight of Sri Lankan ex-servicemen fighting for Russia in the war against Ukraine, who have suffered amputations and lost limbs.

Sri Lanka Police officials have been caught on video behaving in an inhumane manner while arresting three women who had served porridge in memory of the Tamil people who were killed during the last phase of Sri Lanka’s war in Mullivaikal in 2009.

The number of Sri Lankan retired military personnel who have lost their lives in the Russia-Ukraine war has climbed to 14, according to Defense sources.

The birth rate in Sri Lanka is on a rapid decline, and currently it has decreased by 30%, Kalubowila Teaching Hospital gynecologist Prof. Ajith Fernando said. Addressing the media, the doctor said that the number of births, which was about 360,000, has decreased to about 240,000.

Defending the allegations on former President Mahinda Rajapaksa's decisions to construct an international airport, habour and cricket stadium in the Hambantota District, SLPP MP Chamal Rajapaksa said the issue is not the constructions but the failure to develop them as business ventures.

Clarifying the controversy over the GCE Ordinary Level (O/L) Science and English papers, Education Minister Susil Premajayantha said today that steps will be taken to ensure that no injustice is caused to any students.

Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana said the government’s income is Rs. 8,420 million and the expenditure is Rs.14,670 million so the amount in shortfall to meet the daily expenses is Rs.6250 million.

The passenger ferry services scheduled to begin operations on May 13 between Kankesanthurai in Sri Lanka and Nagapattinam in India wil be delayed further due to the delay in delivery of the ferry and unavoidable compliance requirements , IndSri Ferry Service Pvt. Ltd. said.

Former President Maithripala Sirisena stepped down from his role as Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) paving the way for a new leadership.