The draft 20th Amendment to Sri Lanka's constitution was today tabled in parliament, the Daily Mirror reported. 

Seeking to hold all the Provincial Council elections on the same day, the draft Amendment removes the power of Provincial Councils to call for early elections and grants parliament the power to determine the date on which all the Provincial Councils will be dissolved. 

The Amendment also makes clear that "in the event of any inconsistency between the Sinhala and Tamil texts of this Act, the Sinhala text shall prevail."

Dozens of Sri Lankan troops took part in a military exercise in Trincomalee this month, in the run up to a major joint field training exercise to be held later this year.

The war game was held at the 4 Special Forces Battalion Headquarters in Monkey Bridge in Trincomalee with “around 60 officers, including seven Navy and five Air Force officers” participating according to the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence.

The war game was held to ensure officers are ready to “encounter any given situation,” it added.

A delegation from the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) in Sri Lanka met with the head of Sri Lankan army on Monday, to discuss the role of the military in the North-East.

Sri Lanka’s minister of justice has been sacked this morning, following criticism of the current government over a financial deal with China and after he allegedly delayed investigating cases of bribery and corruption.

Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, who also heads the ministry for the Buddha Sasana, was accused by the prime minister of deliberately preventing the investigation of corruption and fraud committed by the previous government. Mr Rajapakshe was known to be close to the previous regime.

He also criticised the Sri Lankan government’s decision to sell a 70 percent stake in Hambantota port to China for $1.1 billion last month.

The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Command of the Indian Army visited Jaffna and Trincomalee this week, meeting with Sri Lankan military commanders.

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena handed over a cheque for Rs. 45 million rupees on Tuesday, to be used towards the renovation of the golden roof of a Buddhist vihara in Kandy.

The Canadian government has announced David McKinnon will be the new High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, taking over from Shelley Whiting.

“Shelley's left big shoes to fill but I could not be happier or more honoured,” said Mr McKinnon on Twitter, after the announcement was made.

In a press release, the Canadian government said it is “steadfast in selecting diplomatic leaders who reflect the wide diversity of Canada, as well as the government’s commitment to promoting greater gender parity.”

Ms Whiting held the post of High Commissioner to Sri Lanka since 2012.

The head of Sri Lanka’s army warned that deserters posed a “threat to society” according to a report in The Island, and called on private businesses across the island not to provide them employment.

Sri Lanka’s Army Chief Lt. Gen. Mahesh Senanayake went on to warn business in the private sector that the military could take legal action against them if they employed deserting soldiers.

“Those who had abandoned their units without following due process were a threat to the society,” he was quoted as stating.

The Sri Lankan resettlement ministry will give the army 178 million rupees to return civilian land in Keppapulavu, the minister for resettlement confirmed on Tuesday.

Resettlement Minister, D. M. Swaminathan, said during his visit to Jaffna that the 178 million amount had been requested from the treasury and would be handed over to the Sri Lankan army on receipt of approval from the cabinet.

Photographs: Shalin for Tamil Guardian

Sri Lankan soldiers will begin construction on a new home for the family of a Tamil student shot and killed by police last year.