By Sandun A Jayasekera

The government expects to hold local government polls in early next year and as such, there will be no further extension of the tenure of 340 local government bodies after their expiry on 19th, March 2023, Public Administration, Home Affairs and Local government Minister Dinesh Gunawardana said yesterday. “However, the legislature must approve the electoral reforms I tabled in Parliament last week before conducting the LG polls. I believe that the electoral reforms will have to be passed simultaneously with the 21st Amendment to the Constitution or soon after that paving the way for the local government polls.  Immediately after the enactment of the electoral reforms, the Election Commission can attend to the preliminary work of the LG polls.