The country will collapse again if the new administration deviates from Ranil Wickremesinghe's policies, warned UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena. He stated that if this happens, the experienced team led by former President Wickremesinghe will step in to rescue the people once more.

Speaking at an electoral meeting in Galle, Abeywardena argued that the recent presidential election defeat was not just a loss for Wickremesinghe but for the entire nation.

"The new government appears to be following the same path as former President Wickremesinghe. If they change course, the country will face another collapse. Based on their current direction, the risk is evident. However, Wickremesinghe and his experienced team will always be there for the people," he said.

"If the country collapses again, don’t blame us or come to our homes. Blame the other group. The problem is that they lead secretive lives, and there is no information about their whereabouts," he added.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced today (19) that he has rejected a request from former President Ranil Wickremesinghe for a range of privileges, including 16 chefs, 163 security personnel, 30 umbrellas, and over 20 vehicles.

Speaking at the inaugural General Election rally in Tangalle, Dissanayake stated that, moving forward, Wickremesinghe would be entitled to only three vehicles, in line with current regulations and circulars.

"They have enjoyed these perks for so long that they now believe they are entitled to them as a right. We have a clear mandate from the people to put an end to the misuse of public funds, and the NPP is committed to delivering on that promise. We will review the security arrangements for former presidents, and perks will be provided accordingly. But there will no longer be any room to misuse public money under the guise of security for former leaders," he stressed.

Dissanayake also mentioned that the government plans to introduce new legislation to prevent former Presidents from receiving unnecessary benefits funded by the public.

Additionally, he revealed that two ambulances previously kept at the residences of Wickremesinghe and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had been recalled, underscoring that such resources should not be considered personal property.

The Budget 2025 will be presented to Parliament in February or March next year, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced this evening.

Addressing the inaugural General Election rally of the National People’s Power (NPP) in Tangalle, Dissanayake stated that the Vote on Account will be presented in December.

He noted that the new budget is likely to include salary increments for state sector employees and an allowance for schoolchildren.

Dissanayake also mentioned that the government will renegotiate several agreements that are disadvantageous for the country, and the relevant parties have already been informed about this.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake today (19) announced that the maximum number of ministries under the government of the National People’s Power (NPP) will be 25 following the General Election.

The NPP held its inaugural general election public rally in Tangalle this evening. Addressing the rally, Dissanayake stated that 15 ministries have already been finalized, and a ministry for digital governance will also be established.

He added that the new Cabinet after the General Election will consist of a maximum of 25 ministers.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Leader Sajith Premadasa said if he had been elected as President, he would have renegotiated with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and taken steps to reduce the tax burden on the people. He questioned the Government as to why it has been unable to reduce taxes following discussions with the IMF.

Addressing a meeting with SJB members and activists in the Awissawella electorate, Premadasa stated that the people expected the Government to engage with the IMF and take steps to reduce the indirect tax burden on them. However, the Government has yet to fulfill this promise, and the taxes remain the same. The Government also claims it would continue the IMF programme without amendments, forgetting their own election promises, Premadasa asserted.

Speaking further, Premadasa said he would like to know what happened during the discussions between the new Government and the IMF, as well as the Government’s plans to reduce taxes.

“If I had been elected as President, I would have renegotiated with the IMF. Now, if we win the General Election, we can do that under an SJB Government because this Government would not do that, even though they promised,” he said.

A petition has been filed at the Supreme Court challenging the rejection of a nomination paper for the upcoming General Election in Vanni District.

The petition seeks to overturn the decision by the District Returning Officer, who rejected the Democratic National Alliance’s (DNA) nomination paper for Vanni District. It was filed by Pararajasingham Udaya Rasa, the authorized officer of the party, along with two other candidates.

The Chairman and members of the Election Commission, as well as the Vanni District Election Officer, have been named as respondents in the case.

The petitioners argue that the District Returning Officer's decision to reject the nomination was unlawful, as all required documents had been duly submitted. They are requesting a writ to annul the rejection.

Additionally, the petition calls for an interim order to suspend the general election in the Vanni district, scheduled for 14 November, until a final ruling is made.

Meanwhile, YouTuber Ashen Senaratne also filed a case this week in the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission's decision to disqualify his independent group’s nomination. The Commission rejected the nomination, citing that the papers were submitted by an unauthorized person.

The Election Commission (EC) today (17 October) announced the expenditure caps for candidates and parties for the upcoming General Election, in accordance with Section 3 of the Regulation of Election Expenditure Act.

The full list is provided below:

Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe stated today (17 October) that experienced individuals are essential in Parliament to tackle the economic crisis.

In his statement, Wickremesinghe said, "Those who have worked alongside me over the past two years have gained the necessary experience to handle economic challenges, and they must be part of Parliament. Whether in the Opposition or the Government, Parliament cannot function effectively without this expertise. Attempting to do so will result in failure to achieve the objectives."

He further mentioned that the new Government faces the challenge of increasing state revenue to 17% of GDP by 2027, the year Sri Lanka is scheduled to begin repaying its foreign debts. To achieve this, Sri Lanka needs economic growth of at least 1% each year.

"Experienced leaders should be in Parliament. I have a team that supported the effort to end the country’s bankruptcy. We are contesting the election under my leadership, and I ask the public to vote for my team," Wickremesinghe added.

Former MP Hirunika Premachandra, who recently announced her resignation from the position of National Organizer of the Samagi Wanitha Balawegaya, the women’s wing of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), stated that the decision was made to allow her to focus on the upcoming general election, in which she is also a candidate.

Speaking at the SJB’s daily media briefing on 16 October, alongside SJB General Secretary Ranjith Maddumabandara, she explained,

"I decided to step down from my position at the Samagi Wanitha Balawegaya, not because I wanted to cause any discomfort to SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa or General Secretary Ranjith Maddumabandara. During the presidential election, I traveled across the country to attend numerous meetings, which limited my ability to concentrate on political activities in the Kaduwela electorate. Since I am contesting in the general election, I need to prioritize political activities in my constituency.

The responsibilities of the women’s wing are typically rotated among different individuals each year, so I felt it was appropriate to step down and allow someone else to take on the role."

She added that although Maddumabandara was initially reluctant to accept her resignation, she remained firm in her decision. After discussions, the SJB Leader offered a solution that addressed her concerns, leading her to speak at the press conference.

Premachandra further emphasized that she has no intention of causing any issues within the party. "We all trust Sajith Premadasa. We did our best to elect him as President, but unfortunately, we were not successful. Our focus now is on the general election, and we aim to win as many seats as possible. I will do everything I can to achieve that goal," she added,

Popular actress Damitha Abeyrathne today (16) said she is considering resigning from politics due to the disappointment of the fiasco she faced regarding nominations from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB).

“I didn’t want to resign. I wanted to embark on a long journey in mainstream politics. The nomination board approved my candidacy and even contradicted me for that. But they conspired against me, so I have to resign.”

Abeyrathne was hopeful of receiving nominations under the SJB ticket for the Ratnapura District. She actively participated in election propaganda campaigns for the party, and her candidacy had been confirmed. However, the SJB removed her name from the nomination list at the last moment without informing her. She found out about it when she went to the Ratnapura District Secretariat to submit her nomination.

SJB Ratnapura District Team Leader Hesha Withanage later stated that although Abeyrathne worked hard on the district election campaigns, the party did not want to "import" candidates from other districts to contest in the general election.

Speaking to the media today (16), visibly upset Abeyrathne expressed her suspicion that Hesha Withanage was behind the "conspiracy" against her, as he might have thought that he could not secure a position at the top of the preferential vote list in the district because of her.

“I think he was scared that I would surpass his number of votes in the election. SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa also confirmed my candidacy. This is not democracy; this is totally unacceptable. If I was not getting the nominations, they could have informed me beforehand. It was as simple as that. But they didn’t inform me. This violates the rights of a common person. Hesha Withanage invited me, saying that since Thalatha Atukorale is no longer in the party or the district, I could fill her place,” she said.

“The SJB could have won easily in the upcoming election. But owing to the unprofessionalism and ungratefulness of them, now the victory is not even close. I saw that SJB General Secretary Ranjith Maddumabandara said that my nomination issue was caused by a miscommunication. That is a joke. I urge Maddumabandara not to make such irresponsible statements,” Abeyrathne added.