Category: Featured Headlines

Prof. G.L. Peiris, a member of the Freedom People’s Congress said holding a referendum is a must to delay elections. Holding a press conference yesterday, Peiris said the Supreme Court in a previous judgement has held a referendum that must be held if Local Government elections are to be postponed.

“The Supreme Court has clearly set out that a referendum is mandatory to delay elections,” he said.

The MP also emphasised that the Supreme Court has delivered several landmark judgements relating to Local Government elections and that the polls therefore must be held before 20 March.

“According to the law, in order to establish the 340 local governments across the country before March 20, the election must be held at the end of February or the beginning of March,” Peiris said.

He also slammed the comments made by officials of the election commission that claimed it will have to adhere to any proposal passed in parliament to postpone the Local Government elections. He also asserted that the election cannot be postponed by a parliamentary resolution because the sovereign power of Sri Lanka is not with the Parliament but with the people.

Peiris also refused to accept the Government’s claim of not having the necessary funds to hold the elections and said if the claim is accepted it will only lead to the demise of democracy.

“If the current President who has no mandate claims there are no funds to hold elections then even he would be able to stay in power forever,” the MP noted.

“If the Government takes any step to postpone elections, we will express our concerns and raise an alarm on the harm being caused to the country’s democracy before the international community,” the MP warned.

The much awaited gazette notification calling nominations for the Local Government (LG) polls will be issued tomorrow (4) and nominations will be accepted at District level on January 19th, a top official of the Election Commission (EC) confirmed yesterday

EC Chairman S.G. Punchihewa told Daily Mirror that LG polls would be held before March 15 making way to establish 340 LG bodies by March 19.

The District Secretaries acting as District Returning Officers (DROs) will issue the gazette at 25 districts giving the date to accept nominations tomorrow.

“We have instructed the District Secretaries who will act as DROs to issue the gazette notification marking the date and venues to accept nominations when the EC informed them.

Accordingly, DROs of the 25 districts will issue the relevant gazette and declare the day of election after the conclusion of acceptance of nominations,” Mr. Punchihewa said.

Dismissing speculations that the LG polls will cost Rs. 10 billion or more, Mr. Punchihewa said the EC would make all efforts to restrict the cost under Rs. 8 billion and added that the number of election officials would be less than 200,000.

Candidates from political parties and independent groups are vying for 8,711 slots in 340 LG bodies except the Elpitiya PS. The LG polls will be held 60% under the first past the post system and 40% under the Proportional Representation (PR) system, Mr. Punchihewa added.

The political parties and independent groups must include 25% women in the nomination list and also give the opportunity for 30% representation to the youth but it is not compulsory as the relevant law has not been passed as yet.

The total number of registered voters eligible to vote in the electoral register of 2022 is 166, 92, 398.

Asked about the security arrangements, Mr. Punchihewa said the DROs have been instructed to arrange the election related security at district level in consultation and cooperation with the police and the armed forces.

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) is currently holding discussions with other centre-left parties in the Opposition on the possibility of forming an alliance under the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) or forming a new alliance altogether to contest the upcoming Local Government election.

Speaking to The Morning, SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara said yesterday (1) that his party is currently negotiating with “independent” MPs, including Dullas Alahapperuma, on the possibilities of forming alliances.

“We have already started negotiations with all the other parties, including the Dullas group, and we are still discussing with them. In the meantime, we are talking to the faction led by Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila as well. There are a further seven to eight parties with whom we are discussing now. We intend to finalise this as soon as possible. We are moving forward as an alliance,” he added.

When queried if the SLFP would form any alliance with the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) he said: “No, we will not, because we mean to have a centre-left movement with all other such parties, and not with the SJB.”

When queried on the possibilities of forming alliances to contest at the LG polls, he noted: “We are still in discussions. The process is underway. We are first considering forming the alliance under the UPFA. It is our main alliance and has been a very powerful alliance since 2004 under the betel leaf symbol. If that doesn’t happen, we intend to form a new alliance,” he added.

Jayasekara noted that his party will follow the 25% women’s representation quota and try its best to get as many youths into the nomination list as well.

Meanwhile, SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara told The Morning yesterday that the SJB would contest along with other parties as an alliance under the SJB symbol. In response to a query about the parties that are expected to align with the SJB, he said: “That has not been finalised yet.”

When enquired if the SJB expects to form any alliance with the SLFP, he said: “No, we have not discussed it yet.”

The Election Commission is expected to call for LG polls nominations within this week.

All political parties that were in alliance with the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) will compete in the upcoming local government elections under the Pohottuwa symbol, SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam said.

Addressing the media at the weekly media briefing, he said the focus of the whole country is on the upcoming local government polls.

The elections commission has already announced that the relevant gazette notification on the above matter will be issued immediately. As a party, we have come to a collective decision with all other allegiance parties to contest the election under the Pohottuwa symbol.

We will start our work as soon as the gazette notification is issued. We also had some discussions with the United National Party (UNP). But now we have reached a decision to compete under Pohottuwa symbol. However, the majority of local government bodies are contesting under the banner of Pohottuwa.

“A direct decision has not yet been taken on an alliance with the UNP. There has been an exchange of views between the two parties. Apart from that, no decision has been taken as yet. “However, the negotiations are not over either,” Kariyawasam said.

“We believe that the SLPP can win the majority of divisions in the upcoming local government elections,” he expressed hope.

“As a party, we are always in the position that we should not burden the people by increasing the fuel or electricity bills.” We also protested as a party when the former energy minister increased the price of fuel. “We have always held the opinion that the people should be given the opportunity to rise economically without being burdened by the increase in prices and the decision should be taken only after that,” Kariyawasam added.

A presidential election is likely towards the end of this year in the event the scheduled local government polls are postponed further, according to ‘Divaina’.

The constitution provides for incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe to call for the election if he runs for office again.

Opposition parties allege the government wants to put off the LG polls since a defeat will directly impact the result of the next presidential election due after 17 November 2024.

“No provisions for early presidential election”

However, SLPP breakaway group member Prof. Charitha Herath says Wickremesinghe cannot call for an early presidential election.

According to Herath, clause 31 (c) of the constitution does not allow a president elected by parliament to call for an election to vie for office again.

“It is true the result of the LG polls seriously impacts the president and the government. However, that does not allow for a constitutional right to call for an early presidential election,” said MP Herath.