14 June 2010 06:10 pm
The local council elections will be held in January next year under the new electoral system, according to Minister Dinesh Gunawardena who heads the Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reforms.
He said the amendments to the local government electoral law would be presented in parliament in July after the debate on the mini budget.
“The government has decided to conduct the local government polls next year after the new electoral reforms are passed in parliament. The legislation has been finalized by the Legal Draftsman and scrutinized by the Attorney General,” the minister said.
He said the cabinet paper for electoral reforms would be presented within the next fortnight and added that the main features of the electoral reforms would include the election of 70 per cent of the members on the first-past-the post system and the other 30 per cent would be elected under the proportional representational system.
The elections to local council bodies whose term ends between April 16 and 17 had to be postponed due to the Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
“The 21 Municipal Councils, 42 Urban Councils and 270 Pradeshiya Sabas must be in office by mid April under the provisions of the local government law. Elections have to be held in early 2011 to do that,” an official said.