A fuller bench with five Supreme Court judges will hear the fundamental rights applications filed by common candidate, General Sarath Fonseka challenging the state media institution, today.

The five-member bench comprising Chief Justice Asoka de Silva, Justices Shirani Tilakawardena, N.G. Ameratunga, S. Marsoof and K. Sripavana will hear the fundamental rights applications filed by General Fonseka.

The three applications filed by General Fonseka will be supported by Upul Jayasuriya PC, Wijedasa Rajapaksa PC and Srinath Perera PC. (Read More)

The Elections Department yesterday announced arrangements for the receipt of nominations on December 17, 2009. The acceptance of nominations for those who made deposits for the Presidential Election scheduled for January 26, 2010 is as follows.

Receipt of nomination will be accepted from 9.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. at the Election Secretariat , Rajagiriya.

Written objections can be made to the nomination paper of a candidate by any rival candidate or the person who has signed the nomination paper of such arrival candidate from 9.00 a.m. to 11.30 p.m. (Read More)

An international conspiracy to defeat President Mahinda Rajapaksa had surfaced, but the people of this country would stand by the President, he said.

Addressing a media conference at the Government Information Department auditorium, the Minister said that the UPFA election manifesto will be released on Thursday, December 17.

Minister Abeywardena said General Sarath Fonseka, as the then Army Commander, had made several statements on military secrets.(Read More)

The JVP said that the function scheduled for Wednesday had no connection whatsoever with the Presidential election and it was only to announce an official function of the party.

After the assault the victims were taken to the Police Station, a statement recorded and released on Tuesday morning.

He said Fonseka had come forward to implement the policies of other interested parties who followed conflicting policies.

"Fonseka is backed mainly by the UNP and the JVP. There is a vast difference between the policies of the UNP and the JVP. The ultimate result will be that the common candidate will get stranded and isolated," said the Minister.

Professor Peiris was addressing a meeting of academic and non-academic staff of the University of Peradeniya recently. (Read More)

The Government is to seek the advice of the Attorney General with a view to getting the CID to record a statement from the common opposition candidate Gen. (retd.) Sarath Fonseka regarding the statement he made that Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa gave an order to kill LTTE leaders.

Jathika Nidahas Peramuna (JNP) Leader Wimal Weerawansa told a news conference yesterday that this matter had already been discussed with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and it had been decided to seek the Attorney General’s view with the objective of taking legal action against Gen. Fonseka  Mr. Weerawansa said the statement which the former Army Commander had made, breached the ethics of his profession. He explained that even a professional who works for a biscuit factory is not supposed to reveal its recipes if he joins a competitor’s company.

“Gen. Fonseka had, therefore, seriously violated the ethic associated with the Army,” he said. (Read More)

Higher Education Deputy Minister M.M. Mustaffa (Myown Musthapha) is to contest the Presidential election after resigning from his ministerial post.

He told the Daily Mirror that he had informed the Government of his intention two months ago.

He also said that he was willing to give up his intention of contesting the Presidential election and support Gen. (retd.) Sarath Fonseka, if the latter gave an assurance in writing  that he would implement the 13th and the 17th Amendments to the Constitution, if elected as President.

He said he had various plans to implement with regard to higher education and providing job oriented education to students but he was not given an opportunity. (Read More)

Opposition common candidate General Saratha Fonseka yesterday filed three fundamental rights applications against state media institutions for their alleged misuse of public media.

General Sarath Fonseka challenged state run electronic media institutions Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) and Independent Television Network (ITN) and print media institution Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (ANCL) for using the media partially supporting President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the forthcoming presidential election and defaming the opposition. (Read More)

In her complaint, Secretary of the NDF Sharmila Perera said that all State media institutions, the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (National Television), Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), Independent Television Network (ITN) and the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (Lake House) were violating Article 104B 4 (a)(i) and (ii) of the 17th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution. "This part of the Constitution prohibits the use of state property for the purpose of promoting or preventing the election of any candidate."  (Read More)