The Ministry of Industries convened a special advisory committee meeting on Tuesday (11) to address practical challenges faced by manufacturers in the ink, chemical and printing materials sector and to outline future development plans.

Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Minister Sunil Handunneththi said that infrastructure and regulatory support will be strengthened to accelerate growth in the sector, which currently contributes 1.5% to national exports. 

He further said that the aim is to double this share to 3% by 2030.

Key decisions during the meeting included:

• Waste management center – Land from the Millewa Industrial Zone will be allocated for a jointly constructed waste disposal facility.
• Land for new investments – Expansion opportunities will be supported through land allocations in Millewa and Paranthan Industrial Zones.
• Export target 2030 – Legal and administrative barriers will be removed to help the sector achieve its 2030 export goal.

The meeting was attended by Ministry Secretary Thilaka Jayasundara, senior officials, and industry representatives. (Newswire)

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The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to repeal legal provisions requiring voters to be marked with indelible ink during elections, a practice in place since 2004.

Under current election laws, voters are mandated to confirm their identity with a valid identity card and be marked with indelible ink before casting their ballot. Both measures were introduced to prevent multiple voting by a single individual.

However, authorities have observed that applying two separate procedures for the same purpose has led to inefficiencies at polling stations and unnecessary costs for the government. 

As a result, the Cabinet has approved the President’s proposal to remove the ink‑marking requirement from all election laws.

The provisions to be repealed include:

• Presidential Elections Act No. 15 of 1981, Section 36
• Parliamentary Elections Act No. 1 of 1981, Section 138
• Provincial Councils Elections Act No. 2 of 1988, Section 36
• Local Authorities Elections Ordinance (Chapter 262), Section 53A
• Referendum Act No. 7 of 1981, Section 21. (Newswire)

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