Diyawadana Nilame election likely to go to courts

By Shane Seneviratne   

Civil Intelligence Front has warned that it would file legal action against the election of the Diyawadana Nilame of Kandy Sri Dalada Maligawa, scheduled to be held on November 7, unless the prevailing dispute regarding the eligibility to vote of the trustees of Rajamaha Viharas in the Kandyan Kingdom was not resolved within a month.   
Convener of the Civil Intelligence Front Sanjana Mahawatta told media that the trustees of 160 historic temples in the Kandyan Kingdom who are eligible to vote at the election have not yet been formally declared and that it amounted to violation of the Section 4(1) of the Temporalities Ordinance of 1831.   
He said he made inquiries in this regard from Commissioner of Buddhist Affairs R. M. G. Senaratne to find that the Ministry of Home Affairs had not yet forwarded the list of the eligible voters.   
Mahawatta pointed out that the election of the Diyawadana Nilame is the only election in the world held without a formal declaration of the eligibility of voters.   
However, the Commissioner of Buddhist Affairs has declared that the election would be held at 2pm, on November 7 at Sir Bennett Soysa Cultural Hall in Senkadagala Eksath Bauddha Mandala Building and informed the voters to support their eligibility to vote by affidavit and other evidence on that date.