Govt. using various ruses to delay local polls: JO

The joint opposition (JO) said today that after giving up on the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, the government was attempting to forcibly pass another Bill in Parliament to postpone the Local Authorities elections.

JO leader MP, Dinesh Gunawardena said the Supreme Court had conveyed its ruling on the draft 20th Amendment to the President and Speaker on Friday.

“The ruling says that a referendum should be held to approve several clauses in the 20th Amendment Bill even after it was passed in Parliament with a two-thirds majority. The Speaker will convey the SC determination to Parliament tomorrow. Therefore, the government is now drafting the new Bill titled the Provincial Council Election Amendment Bill. According to reports the government will introduce amendments on this Bill at the committee stage debate in an effort postpone the elections to the local authorities,” he told a news conference.

The MP said the government was holding discussions to get the polls postponed by passing the new Bill.

“We urge the government not to pass any Bill forcibly and illegally and urged it to allow the people to elect their representatives. The government should not obstruct the Elections Commission and allow it to hold polls,” he said.

The MP said the elections to the Sabaragamuwa, North-Central and Eastern Provincial Councils should be held when their terms of office expired by October 1. (Lahiru Pothmulla)

Video by Janaka