The registration of three-wheelers operating as a passenger transport service in the Western Province resumed today (01 Oct). 

Chairman of the Western Province Road Passenger Transport Authority, Gamini Jasinghe, said the registration of three-wheelers will continue until 31 December 2025.

He further said that currently, over 250,000 three-wheelers are operating as a passenger transport service in the Western Province.

“The registration is for any three-wheeler operating in the Western Province. Therefore, a driver from any province who is working within the Western Province can register,” he added. (Newswire) 

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An analysis of motor vehicle registry data shows Sri Lanka’s vehicle registrations grew to 38,240 units in August 2025, from 35,232 units a month earlier. 

A report by Economy Next, citing an analysis by Colombo-based brokerage JB Securities, states that the growth was driven by higher volumes of trishaws, motobikes and SUV/crossovers.

Three-wheeler registrations rose to 2,497 units in August from 454 in July, while two-wheelers rose to 27,585 units from 26,171 units.

The data shows motor car registrations declined to 2,329 units in August, down from 2,748 units in July, while pre-owned registrations fell to 1,772 units in August from 2,309 in July.

In brand new cars, BYDs increased to 354 units, up from 244 units the previous month, the main contributor being Dolphin, accounting for 307 units.

SUV and crossover registration grew to 3,808 units in August, up from 3,299 in July, while brand-new vehicles accounted for 1,866 units, and pre-owned made up 1,940 units.

According to data from JB Securities, Toyota led the category with 1,238 units, including Raize (789) and Land Cruiser variants.

BYD followed with 1,019 units, driven by ATTO 3 (554) and Sealion 6 (465). Land Rover recorded 38 units, including Defender (17) and Range Rover (18). (Newswire)

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The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has ordered the release on bail of three suspects, including a former Assistant Commissioner of the Department of Motor Traffic, who were arrested in connection with the illegal registration of a motor vehicle.

The suspects, who include two Assistant Managers of the Department of Motor Traffic, were arrested by the Bribery Commission today.

They were apprehended for registering a vehicle with the Department of Motor Traffic and approving the issuance of number plates, despite the vehicle not being cleared by Sri Lanka Customs.

During the proceedings before Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali Jayatunga, the attorneys representing the suspects requested the court to release their clients on bail.

However, officers from the Bribery Commission informed the court that further investigations were underway regarding the incident.

After reviewing the facts presented, the Magistrate ordered that each suspect be released on bail under a cash guarantee of Rs. 2 million, while also imposing an overseas travel ban. (Newswire)

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The government has approved a proposal on new regulations for the registration of high-engine capacity motorcycles in Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Rohitha Abeygunawardena announced.

In a statement on Facebook, MP Abeygunawardena expressed his gratitude to President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles, and Minister of Transport Bandula Gunawardena for approving the proposal. 

He further said that the income earned through the registration of high-engine capacity motorcycles will be utilised to purchase similar motorcycles for Sri Lanka Police and other essential needs.

MP Rohitha Abeygunawardena said the proposal for new regulations for the registration of high-engine capacity motorcycles in Sri Lanka was presented based on multiple requests from youth and motorcycle lovers of Sri Lanka. 

In March this year, announcing his intention to move a motion in Parliament in this regard, the MP revealed there were already a large number of motorcycles with an engine capacity of over 450CC in Sri Lanka at present.

The MP proposed that it would be appropriate to grant permission under special regulations to register motorcycles with an engine capacity from 450CC to 1300CC.

He further said it has also been proposed to provide driving licences to these motorcycles subject to passing a special test and to implement the already available speed limits without change. (Newswire)

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Approval has been granted by the Cabinet of Ministers for the promotion of the registration of ships under the Sri Lankan flag in a bid to explore the potential to generate direct and indirect employment opportunities.

The government states that ship registration is a major source of foreign exchange to the country’s economy. 

As such, the Cabinet has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation to invite expressions of interest and proposals from qualified domestic and foreign institutions to promote the registration of ships under the Sri Lankan flag.

Cabinet approval has also been received to select the most suitable institutions on the recommendation of the Procurement Committee, consequent to the evaluation of the proposals by a Technical Evaluation Committee. (NewsWire) 

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Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Rohitha Abeygunawardena is scheduled to move a motion in Parliament today proposing new regulations for the registration of high-engine capacity motorcycles in the country.

In his motion, MP Abeygunawardena points out that there are already a large number of motorcycles with an engine capacity of over 450CC in Sri Lanka at present.

The MP has proposed that it would be appropriate to grant permission under special regulations to register motorcycles with an engine capacity from 450CC to 1300CC.

It has also been proposed to provide driving licences to these motorcycles subject to passing a special test and to implement the already available speed limits without change. 

In his motion, MP Abeygunawardena says the proposal has been made to serve justice for the youth and motorcycle lovers of Sri Lanka while keeping pace with the progressing world. 

Commenting on the motion, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam queried if there was a vested interest in the move.

“Former Min Rohitha to move a motion to register bikes with high engine capacity later this afternoon. Hope there is no vested interest in this as I believe this is not the biggest injustice committed to the youth of Sri Lanka as the former minister has stated,” he said, taking to ‘X’. (NewsWire)

Former Min Rohitha to move a motion to register bikes with high engine capacity later this afternoon. Hope there is no vested interest in this as I believe this is not the biggest injustice committed to the youth of Sri Lanka as the former minister has stated pic.twitter.com/lhg1OmJ7vT

— Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam (@ShanakiyanR) March 5, 2024

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The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) has called for the correct registration of mobile phone SIM cards, urging the public to verify their SIM registrations

TRCSL’s Deputy Director / Compliance (Consumer Complaints & Consumer/ Public Awareness) Menaka Pathirana has urged every individual who uses mobile phones to properly register their SIM card.

Addressing the media on Monday (Feb 13), Pathirana urged the public to ensure that their mobile phone SIM cards are registered properly, to avoid exploitation for illegal activities.

The public can verify their SIM registrations on their mobile phones by typing #132#, she said. 

Pathirana advised the public to also contact other phone companies to check if a SIM card is registered in their name, especially SIMs that are currently not being used by the person and had been provided by their various employment.

The public has further been urged to immediately disconnect SIM cards that have been issued under their name without their knowledge.

Pathirana added that it was very important to disconnect SIMs if they have been issued under an individual’s National Identity Card number, without their knowledge. 

Reports of several illegal activities using SIMs registered under other people’s names have been reported in the recent past. 

The TRCSL has warned that the public may face issues if SIMs registered under their names are exploited for such illegal activities. (NewsWire)

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Opposition Leader MP Sajith Premadasa has also raised concerns over the recent revelation by Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Leader MP Mano Ganesan on the registration of Tamil households in certain areas by the Police.

Addressing the Parliament on Monday, MP Ganesan questioned why only the Tamil households in the Kirulapone, Wellawatte, Dehiwala, Bambalapitiya, Narahenpita, Kotahena, Mattakkuliya, and Modera Police jurisdictions were being registered.

MP Ganesan further pointed out that the forms presented by the Police officers are only in Sinhala, despite Tamil also being recognised as a national language.

Commenting on MP Mano Ganesan’s concerns, Opposition Leader MP Sajith Premadasa told Parliament yesterday, said that the involvement of the Police for this purpose was wrong.

Acknowledging that there was a system to register households and persons, MP Premadasa said that the process should be conducted through a civil system.

Stating that injustice should not be done by using a police system for this purpose, the Opposition Leader also pointed out that reducing crime was as important as the country’s national security.

He said, however, if any unfair system is being implemented, it was only right for the Public Security Minister to hold a transparent discussion with MP Mano Ganesan on the matter and brief the process.

Pointing out that it was not the duty of the Police to register persons, MP Premadasa added that if the process was being conducted through a civil system only then could it be considered right and democratic. (NewsWire)

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Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Leader MP Mano Ganesan has raised concerns in Parliament over the registration of Tamil households in certain areas by the Police.

Addressing the Parliament on Monday (Dec 11), the MP questioned why only Tamil households in the Kirulapone, Wellawatte, Dehiwala, Bambalapitiya, Narahenpita, Kotahena, Mattakkuliya, and Modera Police jurisdictions were being registered.

“Police officers are visiting door to door and collecting private details such as gender, religion, date of birth, and telephone numbers. Why is this only restricted to Tamil households? Is this a Police state in the making by Public Security Minister Tiran Alles, President Ranil Wickremesinghe, or Acting IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon,” he questioned.

MP Mano Ganesan further pointed out that the forms presented by the Police officers are only in Sinhala, despite Tamil also being recognised as a national language.

Stating that there was no war or terrorism in the country, MP Mano Ganesan requested the Public Security Minister to halt such actions as the people of the said areas are living in fear.

Responding to the MP’s questions, Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles said that the registration of persons was a standard procedure carried out by the Police.

He further clarified that the registration does not target only Tamil households and that the Police register members of all communities in the said area.

The Minister revealed that the registration of details is being conducted to ensure the whereabouts of any person who is wanted over a crime in his residential area but is hiding in Colombo or another area.  

Minister Tiran Alles added that the process cannot be suspended as it is a matter of national security. (NewsWire)

In @ParliamentLK today:
Is it a #Police_State in the making? You are collecting private details, (I.e, ethnicity, religion, age, gender) of every #Tamil household in #Colombo. I hv reasons to believe that these details reach criminal elements. Why do you want to do it? There is… pic.twitter.com/BMQVgIVP1M

— Mano Ganesan (@ManoGanesan) December 11, 2023

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The Ministry of Transportation is planning on preparing a proper system for the legal registration of high-capacity (engine capacity above 450cc) motorcycles that are unregistered in Sri Lanka.

Minister of Transportation and Highways Bandula Gunawardena has instructed the relevant authorities to provide a report in the next few weeks with recommendations for the registration system.

Per previous requests made by the owners of high-capacity motorcycles in Sri Lanka, in coordination with the former minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena, such high-capacity motorcycles had been brought to Sri Lanka through various methods and were not registered.

Minister Gunawardena further said that a committee consisting of senior officials from the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Finance, Attorney General’s Department, Motor Transport Commissioner Department, Police Department and other institutions has been appointed to make recommendations on the registration process.

He further requested the committee make the necessary recommendations for the registration of 5,000 such motorcycles currently in the country, to be registered under strict legal conditions after charging them the necessary taxes. (NewsWire)

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The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) will conduct an islandwide programme to enable the public to confirm the registration of their mobile SIM cards with their relevant telecommunication company. 

Issuing a statement, the government said the first phase of the programme will be conducted in the Kandy district from Monday (Nov 13) to Saturday (Nov 18) from 09.00 am to 04.00 pm.

The public has been requested to verify their mobile SIM card and registered companies by dialling #132# and obtaining all relevant details. 

The government warned that those who fail to update their mobile SIM card registrations will have to take responsibility in the event their mobile numbers are used for criminal activities. (NewsWire)

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