EC decides not to gazette national list seat member of Ape Jana Bala Party

The Election Commission has decided not to gazette the national list member of Our Power of People’s Party (Ape Jana Bala Party) owing to ambiguity with regard to the name that has been submitted for the national list slot by the party, it was reported.

The Commission said two General Secretaries had submitted two names for the seat and added it had created a legal barrier since the Commission is unable to determine which name to be gazetted.

It said they would take steps to include a name after clearing the legal issues regarding the incident.  

Initially, Venerable Wedinigama Wimalatissa Thera calling himself as General Secretary of the Ape Jana Bala Party had submitted his name as the national list member from the party.

However, according to a letter sent to the commission by Ape Jana Bala Party leader Saman Perera on August 7, Wimalatissa Thera was removed from the General Secretary post of the party and was replaced with Nishantha Rathnayake.

Accordingly, Nishantha Rathnayake with his signature had sent a letter to the Commission submitting the name of the party’s leader Saman Perera as the national list member.

After considering the situation, the commission has decided not to include a name for the national list slot from the party until legal barriers are cleared. (Sheain Fernandopulle)