PC Elections EC officials may meet Prez on overcoming snags

By Kelum Bandara

Elections Commission (EC) Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said yesterday EC officials were likely to meet President Maithripala Sirisena this week to discuss the steps that need be taken to clear the ground for conducting the provincial council elections.  

He told Daily Mirror that the President appeared keen to meet EC officials upon his return to the country, however, the President had not got back to Mr. Deshapriya even by last evening.   
Currently, a legal snag stands in the way of conducting provincial council elections under the new electoral law on the basis that the delimitation report has not been gazetted. Parliament has to repeal the new law with a two-thirds majority and revert to the previous Act if desirous to conduct elections.   

Currently, a legal snag stands in the way of conducting provincial  council elections under the new electoral law on the basis that the  delimitation report has not been gazetted

Against this backdrop, the President is reported to be seeking a Supreme Court ruling on whether the old law would prevail in the event the new law is put aside.