LG polls announcement in December

By Sandun A Jayasekera

The Election Commission (EC) chairman, S.G. Punchihewa reaffirmed to the Daily Mirror yesterday the EC’s commitment to hold elections on time and added he would announce the Local Government (LG) polls on a date between December 6 and January 9 paving the way to hold the election in February – March period, 2023. 

The electoral register of 2022, which will be used for the forthcoming LG polls has been completed under the parliamentary constituency delimitation system by now. But the EC must prepare the electoral register 2022 under the polling centres in LG wards before announcing the polls. The EC expects to do it in two to three weeks’ time. As such, the commission will be in a position to announce the LG polls in December or January, Punchihewa added.  

The EC has sought the advice of the Attorney General as a precautionary measure to prevent any legal impediments in the backdrop of the EC at the moment is functioning in an interim basis following the passing of the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, he said.  “We expect the AG’s advice shortly enabling us to carry out our constitutionally mandated national duty unhindered,” he stressed.

Punchihewa told Daily Mirror that he did not expect any financial constraints as the interim budget 2022 had allocated Rs.10 billion for the EC.

Punchihewa gave an assurance last week (15) when he met the combined opposition comprising more than 13 political parties and organizations in and out of Parliament led by the Leader of the Opposition and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Sajith Premadasa that the Local Government polls would be held on time paving the way for the establishment of all 340 local government bodies by March 20th, 2023.