The Gazette establishing the Local Government institutions, for which elections were recently held, has been postponed until March 20 on the request of the Elections Commission, Minister Faiszer Musthapha said.

The Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government made this announcement during a press conference held in Colombo today (27). 

The 8,325 new members elected to 340 Local Government bodies at the election held on February 10 were expected to assume duties in their respective local bodies on March 06.

However, the minister said the gazette establishing the councils has been postponed to March 20, on the request of the Elections Commission and considering the current situation with the quota.

“We have informed the Elections Commission in writing that the quota should be protected and as a government, we are committed to the quota and are bound to protect it,” Musthapha said, addressing a discussion held with women’s organizations.

Forty four women’s organizations around the country have written to the minister asking that the government ensure that the quota be protected.

The Minister stated that he has asked the Elections Commission to ‘order’ rather than ‘appeal’ to political parties to appoint women through their lists to complete the quota.