Govt, opposition in race against time to capture local authorities

• Opposition parties persist with closed-door deliberations
• Govt. is also involved in attempts to rope in members 
• Election Commission required to gazette names of members elected, nominated by June 2
• President vowed recently that no  room would be left for the opposition to elbow out his NPP

By Kelum Bandara 

The government and the opposition are in a race against  time to rope in members to form administrations at the local authorities  – Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas- where a  single party has been unable to secure 50 per cent or more of membership  at the May 6th election.  

The local authorities’ election was conducted to  elect members to 339 councils. The ruling National People’s Power  (NPP) emerged as the largest party, leading in 267 local bodies. However, it  has a clear majority of members only in 116 local authorities. The NPP  can form an administration in these bodies without any hassle.  

However, at the local bodies where the opposition  collectively enjoys a majority, the mayor or chairman should be selected in a  secret ballot.   

The opposition parties are now involved in closed-door  deliberations to capture power at such local bodies, outmanoeuvring the  ruling NPP.   

Despite the time running out, these parties in the  opposition are yet to agree on the modalities involved in the formation of  the local administrations in places where they hold a majority  collectively. The opposition faces stiff competition from the NPP,  which tries to rope in members from other parties and independent groups  to secure the required number.  

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake vowed recently that no  room would be left for the opposition to elbow out his NPP. He even  vowed to enact fresh laws using his party’s two-thirds majority in  Parliament to nullify local governments formed by the opposition.   

The leaders of the opposition parties, such as Ranil  Wickremesinghe of the United National Party (UNP) and Namal Rajapaksa of  the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) met recently. Talks are still  ongoing among various parties in the opposition to muster the numbers  against the NPP.  

According to the Commissioner General of Elections, the  Election Commission should announce the names of members elected and  nominated in the gazette notification before June 2. The Election  Commission can also gazette mayors and chairmen in respect of local  authorities where a single party has a majority above 50 per cent. In  other local authorities, the Commissioner of Local Government of the  province concerned should take steps to call for secret ballots. The  process has to be concluded within one week after gazette notification  is issued announcing the members elected and nominated.