Govt. mulls avoiding LG polls in World Cup venue areas
January 5, 2011 12:21 pm
A senior government official has today said that the government has decided to avoid conducting elections for the local government councils located in the areas where the cricket World Cup is to be held in the country, Govt. Information Department reports.
Secretary to
the Sri Lanka Cricket Mr. Nishantha Ranathunga has confirmed that Kettarama in
Colombo, Suriyawewa in Hambantota and Pallekele in Kandy are the venues for the
scheduled matches to be played in Sri Lanka.
Accordingly, the elections to Local Government institutions located in Colombo,
Kandy and Hambantota areas where the activities of world cup match are taking
place may be held after the end of their extended period due in April 2011.
The official said that the Minister of Local Government and Provincial Councils will issue a special gazette notification in term of the powers vested in him to bring the terms of 330 Municipal Councils, Town Council and Paradeshiya Sabhas to an end enabling to call for fresh elections by the Commissioner of Elections.
The extended term of the Local Government Institutions is expected to come to an end Thursday.
But the Jaffna Municipal Council and Vavuniya Town Council to which elections
were held recently following the end of three decade old war will continue to
function despite the terms of other council being brought to an end.
The Government Ministers have already announced that elections to Local Govt.
Authorities will be held in March.
The terms of 330 Local councils were extended by the minister in charge of the
subject by a period of one year on 1st April 2009. Accordingly these councils
unless the period is ended before, can go up to April 2011, the Government
Info. Dept. further reports.
