By Chamodi Gunawardana

Local Government and Provincial Councils Minister Faiszer Mustapha yesterday promised to hold Local Government elections before 31 March 2017, insisting they would be wrapped up before the next round of provincial councils polls are rolled out mid-year. 

Speaking at the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) weekly media briefing, Mustapha said he would Gazette the delimitation report prepared by the Delimitation Committee on 28 December, just a day after the committee hands over the report to him on 27 December.

“The Delimitation Committee which was appointed to re-mark the boundaries of the electorates had concluded their marking, but they have to finalise looking into appeals on the new delimitations. I have directed them to handover their report before 31 December and they have informed me that the report will be presented on 27 December. I will gazette it soon after I receive the report,” he said.

Mustapha also assured LG polls would be concluded before the Provincial Council election has which are expected to be held from around June 2017 onwards.

The Minister stressed he would not extend the final date of the Delimitation report handover after 31 December.

SLFP calls for ethics code for media

State Minister of Science, Technology and Research Lakshman Seneviratne yesterday said that the Government has to introduce a Code of Conduct for journalists to ensure unbiased reporting.

Addressing the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) weekly briefing, Seneviratne said both journalists and the Government parties could avoid escalating incidents such as the events that unfolded at the Hambantota Port this week between the Sri Lanka Navy and reporters by following defined ethics in a Code of Conduct while carrying out their officials duties.

“I saw a clash between the Navy and a journalist at the port premises. As a SLFPer I believe such an incident should be addressed through discussions not fists,” he said.

Seneviratne also charged the media had been biased in reporting the incident and accused media organisations of presenting different angles, which he insisted was misleading. “Media could give different versions of the same incident, but that should not be biased for any party,” he told.