Govt. issues Gazette declaring several high-security  zones in Colombo

The Government issued an Extraordinary Gazette declaring several areas as high-security zones in Colombo.

These high-security zones include; the Parliament, Supreme Court, High Court and Magistrate Court in Colombo, Attorney General’s Department, Presidential Secretariat, President’s House, headquarters of the Navy, Air Force and Police, Ministry of Defence, Sri Lanka Army headquarters in Akuregoda, Prime Minister’s Office, Temple Trees, Official Residencies of Defence Secretaries and Commanders of Tri-Forces and IGP.

The related Gazette notification has been issued on 16 September with the signature of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is also the Defence Minister. 

As per the notification, the Defence Secretary will be the competent authority for the implementation of the orders. He is also authorised to make provisions to the regulation of certain activities within the zones, based on security situations or during special occasions. 

The Gazette notification also states unless the prior written permission of the IGP or Senior Deputy IGP in charge of the Western Province is obtained, no person shall conduct or hold a public gathering or procession whatsoever on a road, ground, shore, or other open area situated within the high-security zones.

“No person shall perform construction of a building, a temporary or permanent construction or an excavation within the high-security zones unless a permit from the competent authority is obtained for the said purpose in addition to the legal requirements which should be fulfilled by the person who intends to perform the said construction of a building, a temporary or permanent construction or an excavation,” it added.