The Election Commission (EC) stated that it will set the date for the Local Government (LG) Elections, while considering, as far as possible, the concerns raised by various parties regarding the timeline.
Political parties representing the Opposition have been urging the EC to postpone the LG Elections, slated to be held in April, citing reasons such as the upcoming General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level (O/L) Examination and the Parliamentary debate on the 2025 Budget.
When contacted by The Daily Morning, EC Chairperson R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said that while some parties are calling for the LG Elections to be held earlier and others later, the EC would meet and make a final decision on the date for the same. He added that in making the decision, the EC would take into account factors such as the Sinhala and Tamil New Year and the O/L Exam. However, he said that it would not be possible to consider every individual circumstance when deciding on a date.
“Some say that the O/L Examination will be held, which is true. Others point to the Parliamentary debate on the Budget, and there will also be concerns about the Vesak festival. If we are to consider all these factors, we will not be able to hold the LG Elections at all this year. Instead, we will consider the concerns of all parties to the fullest extent possible and set a date accordingly,” he said.
Meanwhile, the EC convened yesterday (18) to discuss the Local Authorities Elections (Special Provisions) Act, No. 01 of 2025. However, the EC is yet to receive the official gazette notification regarding the passing of the Local Authorities Elections (Special Provisions) Bill. The relevant gazette notification is expected to be issued by the Ministry of LG. The EC stated that the date for the elections will be determined once the Act is published in the government gazette. A spokesperson confirmed that the date and time for the elections will be announced after a thorough review of the relevant Act.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has meanwhile requested the EC to commence the LG Elections process after the final vote on the 2025 Budget, which is scheduled for 21 March. Premadasa revealed this while addressing the media after a meeting between Opposition political party representatives and the EC yesterday. He emphasised that the 66 Parliamentarians representing the Opposition and various parties are committed to fulfilling their legislative duties during the Budget process.
“We presented to the EC the matter of initiating the Elections related process after 21 March,” he said, adding: “As soon as the final vote on the Budget concludes on 21 March, the Elections related process could begin.”
Speaker of the Parliament Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne on Monday (17), endorsed the certificate on the Bill, which enables the cancellation of the nominations called for the LG Elections in 2023. The Bill was passed in the Parliament with a special majority, without amendments.
The LG Elections were initially scheduled for March 2023, but the Finance Ministry, along with the general Treasury, had not released the required funds to the EC. As a result, the EC rescheduled the Elections to April 2023. However, since the funds were not released by that time either, the EC was forced to postpone it indefinitely. Recently, the Supreme Court issued a ruling, directing the EC to schedule the LG Elections as soon as possible. Following the passage of this new Act, the EC is required to announce the date for calling nominations, which should be a date within three months since the passage of the Act.