The Constitutional Council has invited fresh applications from qualified and interested individuals to be considered for recommendation to fill existing vacancies in the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka.

Applications must be submitted using the prescribed form available on the Parliament of Sri Lanka website under the “Quick Access” section, titled “Recommendation to the post of Member of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka.”

The Council stated that completed applications should be sent on or before July 31, 2026. 

Submissions can be made either by registered post to: Acting Secretary‑General to the Constitutional Council, Constitutional Council Office, Parliament of Sri Lanka, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte; or by email to constitutionalcouncil@parliament.lk.

Applicants sending forms by post must clearly mark “Recommendation to the post of Member of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka” on the top left corner of the envelope, while those applying by email should use the same wording as the subject line.

The Constitutional Council emphasized that the process is aimed at ensuring qualified candidates are considered for the Commission, which plays a central role in safeguarding human rights and accountability in Sri Lanka. (Newswire)

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A group of opposition Members of Parliament has written to the Speaker of Parliament, who also serves as Chairperson of the Constitutional Council, raising concern over prolonged vacancies in Sri Lanka’s higher judiciary.

In their letter, the MPs draw attention to four unfilled vacancies in the Supreme Court and four in the Court of Appeal, stating that the positions have remained vacant for an extended period. They argue that the delay in filling these posts appears inconsistent with Article 107(1) of the Constitution, which provides for the appointment of judges of the superior courts by the President, subject to the approval of the Constitutional Council.

The MPs have requested the Constitutional Council to ascertain whether the Chief Justice has formally notified either the Council or the President regarding the existence of these vacancies. If such notification has not been made, they urge that the reasons for the omission be examined.

The letter states that the continued existence of vacancies in the superior courts may discourage eligible senior judges from expecting timely consideration for promotion and could create uncertainty regarding judicial career progression. It also raises concerns about equal protection under the law, as guaranteed by the Constitution, in the context of delayed appointments.

Beyond individual implications, the MPs warn that the vacancies are affecting the efficient administration of justice, increasing the workload on serving judges, and potentially undermining public confidence in the judicial system. They further reference Article 4(c) of the Constitution, which places responsibility on the state to ensure the effective exercise of judicial power through properly constituted courts. 

In their appeal, the opposition MPs have requested the Speaker, in his dual capacity, to bring the matter before the Constitutional Council and the President for urgent consideration. They also call for the issue to be highlighted in Parliament as a constitutional concern requiring prompt action. (Newswire)

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The open competitive examination for recruitment to the post of Assistant Superintendent of Customs Grade II of the Sri Lanka Customs Department has now been gazetted.

The application form has been published on the website https://applications.doenets.lk/exams, and this time applications can only be submitted online.

The closing date for accepting applications is June 8, 2026.

According to a report by BBC Sinhala, Sri Lanka Customs media spokesman Chandana Punchihewa stated that through this examination, it is expected to recruit between 150 to 160 candidates for the post of Assistant Superintendent of Customs.

He said that since Sri Lanka Customs is a large state institution consisting of various subject areas, it is important that applicants with degrees in different fields apply.

As examples, he pointed out that knowledge in law, information technology, finance and management, archaeology, science (such as zoology and botany), etc., is essential for Customs. In addition, knowledge regarding natural resources such as gems is also important.

• Required Qualifications:

1. The applicant must be a Sri Lankan citizen of “excellent character” and be not less than 21 years and not more than 35 years of age on the closing date of applications.
2. Physical fitness requirements: For male applicants, height must not be less than 5 feet 5 inches, and chest (expanded) must not be less than 33 inches. For female applicants, height must not be less than 5 feet 3 inches.
3. Educational qualifications: Completion of a degree course of not less than 3 years from a university recognized by the University Grants Commission or from an institution recognized as a degree‑awarding institution. Applicants awaiting degree results are not eligible. However, if an applicant has completed the degree and can produce an official letter from the Registrar of the university, they may sit for the exam.
4. GCE Ordinary Level (O/L) requirement: At least a credit pass in English language. Or at GCE Advanced Level (A/L), at least a simple pass in English language.

• About the Examination:  

The competitive examination will be held only in Colombo in August.

It consists of two papers:

1. Aptitude Test — Duration 1 hour, 100 marks. Tests language proficiency and reasoning ability. Contains 50 compulsory questions in multiple-choice and short-answer format.
2. English Language — Duration 1 hour 30 minutes, 100 marks. Tests writing, reading, comprehension, and communication skills. All questions must be answered.

The exam can be applied for in Sinhala, Tamil, or English medium, and once chosen, the medium cannot be changed later.

• Marking:  

The total marks for both papers is 200. To pass, a minimum of 50% must be obtained in each paper. Candidates who achieve this will be ranked according to their total marks, and twice the number of vacancies will be shortlisted.

Although passing requires minimum marks, recruitment will be based on competitive scores, so candidates should aim for the highest marks. Results will be released via www.results.exams.gov.lk.

• Interview Marks:  

Candidates who pass the written exam will face an interview, where marks are awarded for sports skills and other abilities based on valid certificates. Sports below the under‑17 level will not be considered.

From those with the highest combined marks in written and interview, candidates equal to the number of vacancies will be appointed as Assistant Superintendents of Customs. Up to 10% of the approved vacancies are reserved for female officers.

Those recruited as Assistant Superintendents of Customs will later have opportunities, based on qualifications and experience, to be promoted to Deputy Superintendent, Deputy Director, Senior Deputy Director, Director, and Additional Director General of Customs.

• How to Apply:  

The online application must be completed only in English via the link https://applications.doenets.lk/exams. 

It is very important to read the instruction sheet provided under “instructions” before applying. Applicants will be notified via SMS or email whether their application has been accepted as valid. (Newswire)

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The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the recruitment of 15,839 vacancies across ministries and provincial councils, following recommendations made by a committee appointed under the leadership of the Secretary to the Prime Minister to review the public service recruitment process.

The committee, established with Cabinet approval on 30 December 2024, was tasked with identifying needs, priorities, and timelines for essential recruitments. 

Requests submitted by ministries to fill vacancies in departments and institutions under their purview were reviewed at the committee meeting held on 12 February 2026.

Based on its recommendations, Cabinet approval was granted for the following recruitments:

1. Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education – 300
2. Ministry of Justice and National Integration – 67
3. Ministry of Defence – 9,794
4. Ministry of Industries and Enterprise Development – 112
5. Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development – 121
6. Ministry of Buddhist Affairs, Religious and Cultural Affairs – 02
7. Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs – 1,915
8. Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government – 66
9. Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation – 60
10. Ministry of Health and Mass Media – 776
11. Ministry of Science and Technology – 201
12. Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization and Development – 214
13. Ministry of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment – 15
14. Ministry of Environment – 213
15. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports – 06
16. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism – 03
17. Ministry of Labour – 01
18. Ministry of Plantations and Community Infrastructure – 09
19. Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation – 339
20. Ministry of Power and Energy – 01
21. Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development – 50
22. Ministry of Housing, Construction and Water Supply – 10
23. Central Provincial Council – 22
24. Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council – 236
25. Wayamba Provincial Council – 401
26. North Central Provincial Council – 66
27. Eastern Provincial Council – 282
28. Uva Provincial Council – 146
29. Northern Provincial Council – 411

This large‑scale recruitment drive is expected to strengthen staffing across critical ministries and provincial administrations, addressing long‑standing vacancies in the public service. (Newswire)

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Applications have been called from interested individuals to fill the forthcoming vacancies in the post of Member of the Audit Service Commission under Article 41B of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

According to a Parliament statement, under Article 153A of the Constitution, the Constitutional Council shall recommend suitable individuals to the President for the following appointments in the post of Member of the Audit Service Commission:

1. two retired officers of the Auditor-General’s Department, who have held office as a Deputy Auditor-General or above;
2. a retired judge of the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal or the High Court of Sri Lanka; and
3. a retired Class I officer of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service.

The applications should be prepared in accordance with the application form, which is available on the website of the Parliament of Sri Lanka ( www.parliament.lk ) with a quick link named ‘Appointment to the post of Member of the Audit Service Commission’. 

The duly completed applications should be sent to:

The Acting Secretary-General of the Constitutional Council, Constitutional Council – Office, Parliament of Sri Lanka, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte.

The completed applications must be submitted on or before 20 February 2026 by registered post or by email to constitutionalcouncil@parliament.lk 

‘Appointment to the post of Member of the Audit Service Commission’ should be indicated on the top left-hand corner of the envelope, or as the subject of the email. (Newswire)

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The Constitutional Council has called for nominations from civil society organizations for the post of Member of the Right to Information Commission.

The vacancy is in terms of Section 12(1) (c) of the Right to Information Act No 12 of 2016, to be recommended to the President for appointment as a member of the Right to Information Commission.

In terms of Section 12(2) (a) (i) of the Right to Information Act, the members of the Commission should be persons who have distinguished themselves in public life with proven knowledge, experience, and eminence in the fields of law, governance, public administration, social services, journalism, science and technology, or management.

Further, in terms of Section 12(2) (a) (ii) to (v) of the Right to Information Act No 12 of 2016, such nominees should not be: 

• Members of Parliament, of any Provincial Council, or of any Local Authority;
• hold any public or judicial office or any other office of profit;
• be connected with any political party; or
• be carrying on any business or pursuing any profession.

According to a Parliament statement, the nominations should be prepared in accordance with the nomination form, which is available on the website of the Parliament of Sri Lanka (www.parliament.lk) with a quick link named ‘Appointment to the post of Member of the Right to Information Commission’.

The duly completed nominations should be sent to; 

Acting Secretary-General to the Constitutional Council 

Constitutional Council – Office

Parliament of Sri Lanka

Sri Jayewardenapura Kotte.

The duly completed nominations should be submitted on or before 15th February 2026 by registered post or by e-mail to constitutionalcouncil@parliament.lk.

On the top left corner of the envelope of the letter being sent, or as the subject of the email, it should be stated as ‘Appointment to the post of Member of the Right to Information Commission’. (Newswire)

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Minister of Education, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, says there are currently 36,178 teacher vacancies across provincial and national schools in Sri Lanka, including 1,501 vacancies in national schools.

She further noted that provincial school vacancies are distributed as follows: Western Province – 4,630, Southern – 2,513, Central – 6,318, North Western – 2,990, Uva – 2,780, North Central – 1,568, Eastern – 6,613, Sabaragamuwa – 3,994, and Northern Province – 3,271.

The Prime Minister also announced that 353 graduates belonging to Grade III (A) of the teacher service, who have not yet assumed duties, are scheduled to be recruited within the next two months.

To address these shortages, she added that requests have been submitted to the Recruitment Review Committee established under the leadership of the Secretary to the Prime Minister, and that necessary steps will be taken promptly to fill the vacancies.

PM Harini Amarasuriya made the remarks in Parliament yesterday (21), in response to a previous question raised by Opposition Leader MP Sajith Premadasa. (Newswire)

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Applications have been called for the appointment to the post of Member to the Office on Missing Persons (OMP).

According to a Parliament statement, the applications have been called under the Office on Missing Persons (Establishment, Administration and Discharge of Functions) Act, No. 14 of 2016 (as amended).

Persons with previous experience in fact-finding or investigation, human rights law, international humanitarian law, and humanitarian response or those who possess other qualifications relevant to the carrying out of the functions of the OMP, have been requested to apply.

The applications are called to fill a vacancy which will arise in October 2025 for the post of Member in the Office on Missing Persons (OMP).         

The applications should be prepared in accordance with the application form, which is available on the website of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, www.parliament.lk, with a quick link named ‘Appointment of Member to the OMP’.

The duly completed applications should be sent to the Acting Secretary-General of the Constitutional Council, Constitutional Council – Office, Parliament of Sri Lanka, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, on or before 14 October 2025.

The applications are to be sent by registered post or by email to constitutionalcouncil@parliament.lk with ‘Appointment of Member to the OMP’ indicated on the top left-hand corner of the envelope, or as the subject of the email. 

For further details, visit https://www.parliament.lk/en/secretariat/advertisements/view/338 (Newswire)

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Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, Ananda Wijepala, says steps have already been taken to urgently fill 5,000 of the 28,000 vacancies in the Sri Lanka Police at present. 

Minister Wijepala said that Cabinet approval has been obtained for this purpose and that the relevant processes have already commenced, with recruitment to be completed within this year.

He also pointed out that 10,000 personnel currently serving in the Civil Security Department are expected to be attached to the police service.

Minister Ananda Wijepala made these remarks during the meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, chaired by him and attended by Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala, recently (25).

Responding to queries raised by Members of Parliament at the Committee meeting regarding issues faced by the Police Service, Minister Wijepala stated that steps are being taken to provide necessary training programs to improve the efficiency of police officers currently in service, and that recruitment of 1,000 female police officers has also commenced.

The Minister further noted that a separate salary structure for the Police Service is expected to be introduced next year, adding that the President has already been informed of this matter and that proposals will be submitted to the 2026 Budget.

During the meeting, attention was also drawn to police stations where allegations have been made of misconduct by certain Officers-in-Charge and where fair investigations into some unlawful activities have not been conducted. The minister instructed the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) to pay special attention to these concerns and take appropriate action.

The Acting IGP also informed the Committee that, in addition to the existing Police Anti-Corruption Unit in Welikada, several other such anti-corruption units will be established for special operations. He further pointed out that anyone can file complaints regarding unlawful activities via the hotline number 1997.

The meeting also focused on issues such as drug eradication efforts, the use of illegal fishing explosives, and the need to ensure the confidentiality of informants providing information to the police regarding unlawful activities. (Newswire)

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Cabinet approval has been granted to fill 5882 vacancies in government services. 

Accordingly, the Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs is to fill 2500 vacancies, the highest number of recruitments.

The Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Governments have been approved to recruit 1615 persons. 

Recruitments are also to be made by several other key ministries, such as Transport, Ports and Civil Aviation, Women and Child Affairs, Justice, and Education. (Newswire)

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Applications have been called to fill the vacancies in the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) by the Parliament of Sri Lanka. 

Accordingly, persons with suitable experience in fact-finding or investigation, human rights law, international humanitarian law, humanitarian response or other relevant qualifications to carry out the functions of the OMP have been requested to forward their applications on or before 27th May 2024. 

Applications should be forwarded to ‘Secretary-General to the Constitutional Council, Constitutional Council – Office, Parliament of Sri Lanka, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte by registered post or by email to constitutionalcouncil@parliament.lk. 

The Office on Missing Persons is a permanent and independent state institution tasked with searching for the truth regarding the fate of the missing and disappeared in Sri Lanka and protecting the rights and interests of the victims and their families.

On 28 February 2018, the OMP was made operational with the appointment of seven commissioners based on the recommendations of the Constitutional Council. (Newswire)

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There are more than 4,000 vacancies within the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) at present, Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera said. 

Minister Wijesekera said that, however, it is important to note that the current workforce is adequate to operate these institutions and deliver essential services. 

“In the Petroleum Corporation, there are 3,292 approved staff positions, with 2,100 individuals currently employed, leaving 1,192 vacancies. Meanwhile, the Ceylon Electricity Board has 24,000 approved staff positions but only 21,000 employees are on the payroll. An additional 3,000 external hires have been brought in for specific service tasks, leaving a requirement for 3,000 more employees to reach the approved staff cadre,” he said.

Minister Wijesekera said that the current government has not taken steps to exploit these vacancies for political gain and, instead, has made unpopular but necessary decisions to promote the sustainable economic development of the country. 

“It’s worth noting that although I could potentially offer employment to another thousand individuals from the Matara District within the Petroleum Corporation for political advantage, such a move is inconsistent with the government’s policy, which prioritizes the integrity of these institutions over political interests,” he said.

Minister Kanchana Wijesekera made this statement while participating in a conference on ‘Restructuring of Government Institutions for a New Development Approach’ held at the Ministry of Finance on Tuesday (Sep 26).

According to the President’s Media Division (PMD), this conference was held with the aim of informing various stakeholders, including trade union leaders, civil organization activists and journalists, about the necessary actions concerning loss-making state enterprises that pose a burden on the country’s struggling economy.

Also addressing the conference, the Director General of Trade Unions to the President, Saman Ratnapriya stated countries heavily involved in government business often lag behind in comparison to developed nations.

Ratnapriya emphasized the potential for delivering efficient and effective services through the restructuring of government institutions. 

He pointed out that when examining developed countries worldwide; those nations where the government is less involved in business tend to have more developed economies, while countries heavily involved in government business often lag behind. 

Revealing that an astounding Rs. 333 billion of public funds were expended from 2010 to 2020 to sustain the Sri Lanka Railway Department, Ratnapriya stressed that if this state-owned enterprise had been run as a profit-oriented business, it could have saved nearly Rs. 30 billion annually.

Responding to a query from a trade union leader about government intentions to restructure the health and education sectors, Ratnapriya indicated that there were no concrete plans for such actions.

He also disclosed that President Ranil Wickremesinghe had pledged to allocate one per cent more of the GDP next year to the health sector’s development compared to this year’s budget.

Speaking during the conference, former Head of the Department of Economics, University of Colombo, Professor Sirimal Abeyratne noted that restructuring plays a pivotal role in driving economic growth and it must be accompanied by positive transformations in areas like good governance, law enforcement and societal attitudes.

“State enterprises typically lack clear ownership structures and exhibit various shortcomings, including financial indiscipline, lack of transparency, inefficiency, resource wastage and corruption. These challenges are common to enterprises in many countries across the globe. Given this scenario, restructuring our country’s state enterprises becomes a catalyst for surmounting the prevailing economic crisis. Furthermore, there’s a compelling need to rally the workforce towards the betterment of the nation,” he added. (NewsWire)

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