SC interim order prevents holding LG polls for Kalutara Pradeshiya Sabha

The Supreme Court today (March 16) issued an interim order preventing the Local Government Election for the Kalutara Pradeshiya Sabha from being held.

A three-member Supreme Court bench delivered the interim order, granting leave to proceed with a petition challenging a Returning Officer’s move to reject a nomination paper submitted by the New Lanka Freedom Party (NLFP). Justices Preethi Padman Surasena, Gamini Amarasekara and Janak de Silva sat for the hearing.

Representing NLFP’s secretary W.K.T. Waragoda, Attorney-at-Law Viran Corea said the nomination paper had been rejected by the respective Returning Officer as one of the affidavits submitted along with it did not contain the official seal of the Justice of Peace.

Explaining that the other affidavits submitted with the nomination contained the relevant official seal, the lawyer noted that the Returning Officer’s move to reject the nomination paper is against the law.

Taking the presented submissions into consideration, the judge bench granted leave to proceed with the petition hearing.

Thereby, fixing the petition hearing for May 12, the judge bench also issued an interim order preventing the LG election for the Kalutara Pradeshiya Sabha from being held until the conclusion of the legal matter.