Clocks turn back half-hour after dawning of the New Year

[April 6, 2006 - 11.30 GMT]

Sri Lanka will turn the clock back by 30 minutes with effect from midnight April 14, 2006, reverting to the GMT + 5 ½ hours, joining India in the same time zone. This is the time zone Sri Lanka belongs to and has adhered to for over 50 years after independence.

The change will occur during the first midnight after the dawning of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year as the auspicious times for this festive season have been fixed according to the present clock.

In 1996 due to problems which occurred as a result of a crisis in the supply of electrical power during that period Sri Lankan clocks were advanced by one hour for daylight saving. Sri Lanka was placed in the GMT + 6 ½ hour’s time zone with effect from midnight May 24^th 1996.

After this advancing there were public agitations specially from school children, their parents and office workers, therefore the Cabinet of Ministers decided to put the clock back by half hour from October 26^th 1996, placing Sri Lanka in the GMT + 6 hour time zone.

Sri Lanka has a history of time change when the need arises.

January 1, 1880     GMT + 5 hrs 20 mts

June  1, 1906        GMT + 5 hrs 30 mts

January 5, 1942     GMT + 6 hrs 00 mts

September 1, 1942 GMT + 6 hrs 30 mts

January 16, 1945   GMT + 5 hrs 30 mts

May 25, 1996        GMT + 6 hrs 30 mts

October 26, 1996   GMT + 6 hrs 00 mts

According to the World Map of Time Zones most of the countries within longitude 67 degrees and angular minutes 30 East (67 30 E) and longitude 82 degrees and angular minutes 30 East (82 30 E) use the time zone GMT + 5 or 5 ½ hrs or when the sun is on the meridian of a place it is apparent noon there. The entirety of India belongs to the GMT + 5 ½ hour time zone.

Since the circumstance which led to the initial time change in 1996 no longer prevails it is but natural for Sri Lanka to revert to its old time zone.

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Last Updated Date: April 06, 2006 -11.30 GMT