Decision on petition over Seethawaka PS chairman election to be delivered on July 14

The Court of Appeal has announced that the order on the petition filed against the holding of a secret ballot to elect the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Seethawaka Pradeshiya Sabha, will be delivered on July 14.

The Attorney General has informed the court that he would instruct the respondent party not to proceed with the secret ballot for the positions of Chairman and Deputy Chairman until that date.

The petition is being heard before the Appeals Court bench comprising the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Nalin Rohantha Abeysooriya, and Justice Priyantha Fernando.

The petition was filed by a group of opposition members representing the Seethawaka Pradeshiya Sabha. A group including Western Province Local Government Commissioner Sarangika Jayasundara have been named as respondents.

The petitioners claim that, although the opposition holds the majority in the Seethawaka Pradeshiya Sabha, a meeting was recently convened under the Western Province Local Government Commissioner to elect the Chairman and Deputy Chairman. At this meeting, the Commissioner had decided to hold a secret ballot to make the selections.

The petition further argues that the decision made by the Western Local Government Commissioner is contrary to the law, and requests that an order be issued to prevent its implementation.