Local Government polls to be postponed?

• UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara says the polls chief has indicated the election will not be held as scheduled
• The polls chief confirmed that the government printers have informed him that ballot papers will not be printed until due payments are made

By Yohan Perera  

In what seems an indication that the holding of local government elections on March 9 will have to be postponed, the Election Commission Chairman Nimal Punchihewa has informed Party General Secretaries that it will not be possible to distribute postal vote ballot papers from today  (February 15).  

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) General Secretary Ranjit Madduma Bandara told Daily Mirror that  the polls chief confirmed that the distribution of postal vote ballot papers will not be distributed from today as scheduled. 

“We told him not to go back on his word given to Supreme Court. He assured the Supreme Court that the local government election will be held as planned and we told him to keep his word,” Madduma Bandara said.  
“The polls chief also told us that he is not getting sufficient support from Attorney General and indicated that he would refer the matter to Supreme Court once again,” Madduma Bandara added.  

UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara said the polls chief has indicated that the election will not be held as scheduled. 

“The polls chief confirmed that the government printers have informed him that ballot papers will not be printed until due payments are made,” he said.