PC polls delay - Pointless holding talks with Govt: PAFFREL

Election monitors have decided not to hold any more talks with either the government or the various political parties on the failure to hold elections to the seven provincial councils whose term of office has expired.

People's Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi said it was no longer fruitful to have discussions with political parties and the Election Commission regarding the delay.

He said the responsibility to hold PC elections lay with the President and the Prime Minister and pointed out that the decision to hold no more talks on this matter was taken at an Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) meeting held in Colombo on Thursday.

The ANFREL has decided to pressure the government at local and international levels to hold elections.

At present, elections are due to seven PCs while the Sabaragamuwa, North Central and Wayamba PCs had been dissolved over one and half years ago.

Several meetings of political party leaders and at least three Cabinet decisions had been taken on this matter.

However, Mr. Hettiarachchi said the decisions taken at various times had been confined to a lot of words and it was uncertain whether the PC election would be held even this year. (Indika Sri Aravinda)