Conduct LG polls straight away respecting SC verdict: Lawyers for NPP

• If the Elections Commission was taking the side of the people, it should fix an early date for the election

By Ajith Siriwardana  

Lawyers for National People’s Power (NPP) yesterday urged the political authority and the relevant officials to make arrangements to conduct the Local Government Election respecting the verdict of the Supreme Court on the matter.  Attorney-at-Law Sunil Watagala told a news conference that the Elections Commission has been made a respondent in the case and that if the Elections Commission was taking the side of the people, it should fix an early date for the election.  

He said if the verdict of the Supreme Court was disregarded, it would amount to contempt of court on the part of all responsible officials.  

He said according to the interim order issued by the Supreme Court, Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Finance Minister and the Cabinet have to release the Rs.10 billion allocated for the LG polls through the 2023 budget.  

Watagala said the state officials including Treasury Secretary, the Attorney General and IGP also have to abide by the interim order.