General Secretary of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Ranjith Madduma Bandara says the National List nominations of the party are finalized.
Speaking during a press conference on Wednesday (12), he said the list of nominees will be handed over to the Election Commission today (13).
Madduma Bandara further noted that none of the party members defeated in the General Election 2020 were selected to the National List.
The SJB, which became the main Opposition after obtaining more than 2.77 million votes in the recently concluded parliamentary election, clinched 54 seats in the parliament including 07 National List seats.
Its nomination submission was delayed due to the requests from minor political parties that have amalgamated with the Sajith Premadasa-led party should be given an opportunity to represent the parliament from the National List.
According to reports, Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Harin Fernando, Imthiaz Bakeer Markar, Tissa Attanayake, Eran Wickramaratne, Mayantha Dissanayake and Diana Gamage have been nominated to the 07 National List seats of the SJB.
After the SJB submits its National List nominations to the Election Commission, the United National Party (UNP) and the Our Power of People Party (Ape Janabala Pakshaya/OPPP) will be the only remaining political parties to hand over their nominations for the each National List seat they have secured in the election.
In the meantime, the Election Commission has urged these political parties to hand over their National List nominations before the end of Friday (14).
The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) and Ahila Ilankai Thamil Congress (AITC) have already submitted their list of nominees. The Election Commission has published a gazette notification containing the relevant names.
The SLPP’s nominees included Professor G.L. Pieris, President’s Counsel Mohomed Ali Sabri, Senior Professor Ranjith Bandara, Professor Charitha Herath, Specialist Dr. Seetha Kumari Arambepola, Professor Tissa Vitharana, former CBSL governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal and 10 others.
The ITAK had nominated Thavaraja Kalai Arasan while the AITC selected Selvarasa Gajenthiran.
The Jathika Jana Balawegaya (JJB) has nominated Dr. Harini Amarasuriya as their National List Member of Parliament.
