Call of nominations for three PCs expected on Oct. 2
July 22, 2017 04:18 pm
The Elections Commission says that the calling of nominations for the North Central, Sabaragamuwa and Eastern provincial councils is expected to be announced on October 02.
Speaking during an event in Ratnapura today, the chairman of the commission Mahinda Deshapriya also said that the local government elections cannot be held until the parliament prepares the relevant legislation.
According to the elections act, the nominations should be finalised within three weeks thereafter when the polls date would be announced. The election must take place between five or eight weeks from such notice.
The election would be the first since the unity government of President Maithripala Sirisena came to power in 2015.
The government has faced accusations of delaying the elections for over 300 local councils since 2015.
The Opposition has alleged that the government was delaying elections due to fear of losing while the government maintains that delimitation of electoral boundaries of local council areas and connected legislation needs have delayed holding the election.
