Law and Order Minister Sagala Ratnayaka has decided to step down from his ministerial portfolios, Asian Mirror reliably learns. 

Informed political sources told Asian Mirror that the Minister had a discussion with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in this regard, this morning. 

At the meeting, Ratnayaka said he would not think twice to sacrifice his positions for the betterment of the party. 

The Minister's decision comes in the wake of attempts made by the UNP and the UPFA to show majority support in the 225-member legislature.

The move, according sources, is aimed at giving the Prime Minister a free hand in terms of negotiations so that the UNP will be in a position to offer influential ministries to crossover MPs. 

Our attempts to contact Ratnayaka in this regard did not bear fruit. Sources close to him said he was at a special group meeting of the UNP.

"I am an American citizen. I can't be the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka," former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said this morning, upon his return to the island. 

Rajapaksa, who was in the Us for nearly month, was surrounded by journalists at the Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport this morning, who asked whether the former Defence Secretary intended to enter into active politics. 

However, multiple media reports in the recent past said the former Defence Secretary had attempted to get his American citizenship revoked, in a bid to run for Presidency in 2020. 

Commenting on the result of the Local Government election yesterday, Rajapaksa said the people had spoken and their had given a clear message. 

"The people cannot be fooled all the time," Rajapaksa said, in his statement, hitting out at the current government.

"My heartfelt gratitude to all Sri Lankans who braved all odds to cast their ballot for our Motherland.," the former Defence Secretary also added. 

Returning officers said the highest voter turnout has been reported so far in the Trincomalee district. 

The voter turnout in Trincomalee stood at 50% as at 10 am, this morning. 

A voter turnout of 40% was reported in Kandy, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Badulla three hours into voting. 

However, a relatively low voter turnout was reported in Polonnaruwa, Galle, Kalutara, Puttalam and Ampara. The voter turnout in these areas stood at 20% this morning. 

The distribution of polling cards and ballot boxes to Senior Election Officers in-charge have commenced this morning (09), the Election Commission announced.

Speaking at a media briefing held in Colombo yesterday (08), the Chairman of the Elections Commission Mahinda Deshapriya, said that all preparations are made for the elections, adding that the public should use their power to vote fearlessly.

Saying, “The vote is your right, power and future, Deshapriya requested every voter to enjoy the privilege.

The Local Government elections will be held from 7.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. tomorrow to elect 8,325 candidates for 340 Local Government bodies.

The counting of votes and postal votes will commence after the conclusion of voting.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Election Commission said that legal action would be taken against public servants who avoid election duties.

All government schools will be closed on February 9, the Education Ministry said today.

This is in view of the Local Government election that is to be held on February 10.

Government schools are often used as polling stations during elections in Sri Lanka.

The Local Government elections will use the new, hybrid First-Past-The-Post and Proportional Representational system. 

SLFP Stalwart State Minister Dilan Perera has said civic rights of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa will not be abolished as long as Maithripala Sirisena remains the President of the country. 

"We don't oppose taking legal action against the former President. But, we don't agree revoking his civic rights," Perera said, addressing a press conference at the SLFP headquarters today. 

The Presidential Commission appointed to probe into large scale corruption under the previous administration has recommended the abolition of civic rights of the former President over misappropriation of Rs. 225 million. 

"Abolition of civic rights is the UNP's tradition. We, at the SLFP, cannot agree with that," Perera said. 

"We know how our party suffered when the civic rights of Sirimavo Bandaranaike were abolished under the J.R. Jayewardene government." 

"As a party that has gone through many hardships due to abolition of civic rights, we can't do the same thing to former President Rajapaksa," he said, adding that President Maithripala Sirisena was also of the same opinion. 

Postal voting for the upcoming Local Government elections commenced today (January 22) at 9 am in Election Offices, District Secretariats and Police stations.

Public sector employees whose applications for postal voting have been accepted can cast their postal votes today from 9 am to 4 pm, according to the Election Commission.

In addition, postal voting for employees at other government institutions including educational offices, Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) offices, and police and security forces personnel participating in election related duties will be held on the 25th and 26th of this month.

Accordingly, employees in the public sector who will be on election duty will be provided with the opportunity to exercise their franchise through postal voting.

There are 1.3 million people working in government and semi-government institutions in the country.

The Election Commission says it has accepted around 560,000 applications for postal voting at the local government polls.

The acceptance of applications for postal votes for the Local Government election concluded on December 22 midnight.

Social Welfare Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake hit out at the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) again saying it was one of the biggest mafias operating in the country. 

The Deputy Minister also added that new laws were required to regulate private medical services, saying "Medicine is not business."

Ramanayake was responding to GMOA's claims that it would go for an unannounced strike after January 22. 

The organization said the government should give solutions to the SAITM mater, issues relating to vehicle and telephone allowances of doctors and vehicle permits before this deadline. 

Nic Pothas, who served as the interim coach of the Sri Lanka Cricket team, has refused to fly to Bangladesh with the national team over a fresh dispute with the cricket management. 

It is learnt that Pothas has requested the cricket management to appoint him as the Assistant Coach of the cricket team - which the SLC has flatly refused. 

Following this development, Pothas had refused to travel to Bangladesh with the cricket team for the tri-nation series and the Test tournament. 

Before he took over as the interim coach, Pothas, a former South African cricketer, was the fielding coach of the national cricket team. 

He was recently replaced by Chandika Hathurusinghe, who became the new head coach of Sri Lanka Cricket.

“The happiest day of life is not the day I became the President but commissioning of the largest water reservoir of Sri Lanka, the Moragahakanda – Kaluganga project”, President Maithripala Sirisena declared yesterday (8th Jan.).

Opening sluice of the Moragahakanda reservoir, the President said the implementation of Moragahakanda – Kaluganga irrigation project is not only fulfillment of a long-awaited aspiration of the farming community, but also personal dream come true for him.

President Sirisena further added that he is an extremely glad, tremendously happy and content person.

As the largest multi-purpose irrigation water storage in Sri Lanka, the Moragahakanda reservoir’s water is irrigating lands in faraway Vanni in the Northern Province on one side and Rajarata, Wayamba, Central, and Eastern Provinces on the other.

To mark the handing over the ownership of the project which was built by the Chinese companies, Charge D’affairs of Chinese Embassy, Ms. Pang Chunxue handed over Sannasa (ownership deed) to President Sirisena, in the presence of large number of distinguish and diplomatic invitees. (GID)