Will take stern action if PC polls delayed: EC

27 June 2018 06:30 am

Elections Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya at a meeting with the representatives of the political parties decided to request Local Government and Provincial Councils Minister Faiszer Mustapha in writing not to delay the elections to the Provincial Councils any longer, it is learnt.

Mr Deshapriya reportedly vowed to take stern action if the elections were postponed.

He said he would try all possible means to ensure that the elections were conducted in time. He said there were provisions in the 19th Amendment to the Constitution that give power to the Elections Commission to take action.

“Conducting of elections is not the sole business of the Commission. We cannot run the affairs of the Elections Commission, without discussing politics,” he said quoting the relevant section of the law at the meeting.

Representatives of political parties were critical of the Government for not conducting the elections for the Provincial Councils.

They also discussed that there would be technical issues in conducting the elections under the new system.

The Commission stressed the need to sort them out if the Government opted to conduct the polls under the new formula.

The elections are already overdue for the North-Central, Eastern and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Councils.

Besides, the terms of the Central, Northern and Northwestern Provincial Councils would end this year warranting elections to them. (Kelum Bandara)