All Opposition parties demand Election soon
All main Opposition parties jointly wrote to the Election Commission (EC) yesterday (5), demanding that the Local Government(LG) election be held on or before 19 March, fulfilling the undertaking given to the Supreme Court(SC) by the Election Commission (EC). Also, the Opposition parties also notified that they wish to meet EC representatives tomorrow (7) at the Election Secretariat.
“Now that the SC has removed the only impediment to holding the election according to law, it is your imperative duty to conduct the said election 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 interim order issued by the SC as aforesaid. We, therefore, request you to re-fix the date of the LG election to 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.” said in the letter sent by the Opposition parties addressed to EC Chairman Attorney Nimal G. Punchihewa and Members of the EC.
“We write consequent to the order of the SC made on 3 March 2023, in SC FR 69/2023 restraining the Minister of Finance, the Secretary to the Treasury, and others from withholding necessary funds for the conduct of the LG election that was scheduled to be held on 9 March 2023. The court has also made a further order to the Government Printer with respect to the printing of ballot papers. ” says in the letter.
“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 the court’s direction on them.”
The said letter was endorsed by NPP MP Vijitha Herath, SLPP breakaway MP Prof. G.L. Peiris, SJB General Secretary MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara, TPA Leader and MP Mano Ganesan, ACMC Leader and MP Rishad Bathiudeen, SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem, TNA Spokesman and President’s Counsel MP M.A. Sumanthiran, TNA MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam, and SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekera.
All main Opposition parties – namely the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), National People’s Power (NPP), Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC), Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA), and breakaway factions of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) – jointly wrote to the Election Commission (EC) demanding that the Local Government(LG) election be held on or before 19 March 2023.
