The elections to the rest of the local bodies would be conducted under the latest 2010 electoral register though the polls were conducted on March 16, 2011 for others under the 2009 register, officials said yesterday.

The elections were not held in 90 local government areas on March 16, 2011.

Of them, elections were postponed in 65 areas due to legal cases, in two others in the Vanni District due to unfinished mine clearance work. The government also did not declare elections in five local bodies in the south since the ICC world cup matches were played in those areas. Besides, the elections were postponed under the state of emergency for 18 Municipal Councils.

The People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) requested the Local Government and Provincial Councils Ministry last week to amend the election law to avoid any problem whether to conduct the polls under the present list or the new list expected on May 31,2011 .

Ministry Secretary Dr. Nihal Jayatilake told Daily Mirror that any election should be conducted under the 2010 list after May 31, 2011. Dr. Jayatilake said that the government had not intended to amend the law in this respect.  (Kelum Bandara)