No need to postpone LG elections, both SLFP and UNP stress

Nov 22, Colombo: The two major political parties of the government have stressed that they have no intention to postpone the local government elections.

Both Sri Lanka Freedom Party 9SLFP) and the United National Party (UNP) as well United Peoples Freedom Alliance have no intention to postpone the local government elections, senior members of the parties have told parliament.

Several parliamentarians and senior members of political parties expressed their views on the possibility of delaying the local government elections following the Appeal Court's injunction today on implementation of the gazette notification on national delimitation issued by the subject minister.

Joint Opposition leader, Parliamentarian Mahinda Rajapaksa said expressing his displeasure over the postponement of the elections as a result of a stay order given by the courts said local government bodies are smaller administrative structure and it is the responsibility of the government to make arrangements to hold elections as soon as possible.

Responding to MP Mahinda Rajapaksa, Leader of the House Minister Lakshman Kiriella said the UNP is also against the postponement of the local government elections. He said that the UNP is also waiting for the elections as it has already done the preparations for it and they need an election.

“We have prepared nominations, made lists, and selected people for the United National Front and now we are going from house to house canvassing. We too need an election,” he said.

General Secretary of UPFA, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that the UPFA or the SLFP has no intention to postpone the elections. This election should be held as soon as possible. The Minister said that the truth is that people who have challenged the gazette notification at the court have connections with the politicians.

Leader of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that postponement of the election is a conspiracy.

“Anyone can seek justice from the courts. But this court case is not a reasonable thing to be challenged in the court,” he said. Anura Kumara Dissanayake added that they will join the struggle to obtain an election irrespective of the background of any political party.

The Court of Appeal today considering a petition filed by six voters issued a temporary injunction until 4th December preventing the implementation of the gazette notification issued by the subject minister on delimitation of local authorities in relation to the Local Government elections.

The petition alleged that the gazette was issued by the subject minister in violation of the recommendations made by the National Delimitation Committee implementation of the gazette notification would cause a grave injustice to the petitioners.