According to reports, President Maithripala Sirisena is to attend the event as the chief guest of the event which will be held at the Water’s Edge hotel in Battaramulla. This was confirmed to us by the President’s Media Unit.

However, sources from the Prime minister’s office say that the Prime minister has decided not to attend the event, declaring that most of the award nominees are corrupt individuals of the Rajapaksa era.

Attempts to contact Sudath Chandrasekara - the Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, were unsuccessful.