Conduct LG polls before March 20: Opposition parties write to EC

Claiming that there was no reason for the Elections Commission to consult the Treasury Secretary or anyone else as they are bound to comply with the interim order issued by the Supreme Court, the opposition political parties representing Parliament requested the Elections Commission to re-fix the date of the LG polls before March 20, 2023.

This has been requested in a letter signed by the opposion political parties in Parliament including Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), the Freedom People's Alliance, National People's Power (NPP), Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA), the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC), the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

The letter said that as the Supreme Court has removed the only impediment to holding the elections according to law, it was the imperative duty of the Elections Commission to hold the LG polls on or before March 19, 2023.

"You gave an undertaking in SC Writ 6/2023 and SC Writ 7/2023 that you will hold the said elections according to law. You are aware that according to law, the said elections should be held on or before 19' March 2023. When the Secretary to the Treasury and the Government Printer did not cooperate with you, you filed a Motion in the aforesaid two cases seeking court's direction on them. 

Now that the Supreme Court has removed the only impediment to holding the elections according to law, it is your imperative duty to conduct the said elections on or before 19" March 2023. We do not see any reason why you should consult the Secretary to the Treasury or anyone else, now that they are bound to comply with the interirn order issued by the Supreme Court as aforesaid. We therefore request you to re-fix the date of the Local Government Elections on a date before 20" March 2023 as required by law or the earliest possible date without any further delay. You should not prevaricate on the pretext of consultation with anyone," the letter further said.

The letter signed by the oposition political parties has also sought a meeting with the Elections Commission on March 7 at the Elections Secretariat. (Ajith Siriwardana)