The Election Commission (EC) will issue the gazette notification calling nominations for the Local Government (LG) polls after the Christmas and on or before the 30th December, Chairman of the EC,S.G.Punchihewa reiterated yesterday (Dec18).
The nominations will be accepted by district returning officers from registered political parties and independent groups on the 14th day from the announcement of nominations until 12.00 noon the following say.
Thus, the election to elect 8,301 members for 24 Municipal Councils, 41 Urban Councils and 275 Pradeshiya Sabhas except the Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha can be expected in late February, 2023.
Punchihewa told last morning that the EC would meet tomorrow ( Dec 20) to take a final decision on the date to issue the gazette.
“It will definitely be between 26th and 30th December. The Election Commission expects to announce the exact date of releasing the gazette to the media after we decided the date to issue the gazette notification calling nominations for local government election,” Punchihewa stressed.
Commenting on speculations circulating in the mainstream and social media to the effect that requests to the government and attempts have been made by various politicians and political parties to postpone the LG polls, Punchihewa emphasized that only the Supreme Court and the Legislature have the constitutional authority to postpone the election.
The tenure of 340 LG bodies has already been extended by one year up to March 20th next year by the government. The government must hold LG polls and constitute 340 LG bodies by March 19, 2023. No one can extend the term of office of LG bodies under the law as election can be extended only once.
source-daily mirror
