Joint Opp. wants a date for LG polls

Joint Opposition Leader MP Dinesh Gunawardane today said a date for Local Government (LG) election should be declared within 14 days from tomorrow (31) because the term of LG bodies would be expired tomorrow.

He said regardless of what the Government or the Elections Commission said, the elections should be declared after tomorrow.

“It was for this purpose the Elections Commission was established. Many Commissions were established and we too pledged our support to establish Good Governance. What is the point of having a Commission if it can’t decide on elections?,” the MP told journalists after meeting the officials of the local election watchdog People's Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL).

The MP met PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi and questioned why they were silent on the Government’s decision to postpone the elections for Local Government bodies.   

He said one of the key promises of the President was to hold elections on time.
“Regardless of who is the President or who may win, the elections should be held to establish democracy. Even the countries with dictators have provincial council elections,” MP Gunawardane said.  

He said the PAFFREL had accepted their argument on the matter and had assured in return to take up the issue as an independent group to hold elections for LG bodies on time. (Lahiru Pothmulla)

Video by Sanjeewa