MR asks, RW answers: PM says local polls should be in January

By Ashwin Hemmathagama – Our Lobby Correspondent

Local government elections should not stand in the way of the Budget 2018 program, the GCE Ordinary Level examination, Christmas and New Year, asserted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday in Parliament.

“Now that the new election system has received House approval, we can go for an election. Last week the party leaders met to determine the dates. We agreed that it is suitable to have the elections in January without disrupting the budget program, the O/L exam and Christmas. Our opinion was sent to the Elections Commission. So then we expect the Chairman of the Elections Commission to hold the election in January,” the Prime Minister explained in Parliament. 

The Prime Minister said the forthcoming election will be conducted under a new system. “The election will be held according to the new system, which was approved by this House. 

It was prepared with the participation of political parties and will be fair for all. We want to introduce a better and decent election system. Minority parties will have an opportunity in it and female representation will be increased in it. Making this system took time and some said that we deliberately postponed the elections for political gains. The SLFP led by President Maithripala Sirisena and the UNP have no reasons to postpone the elections. Let us know if you are afraid of elections or working for the victory of others rather going against the party leadership,” added Wickremesinghe.

However, asking for clarification over a statement made by an election official that the elections would be held in December, MP Mahinda Rajapaksa said: “You are going to have the local government elections in January. There are three provincial councils that are to be dissolved in October. But the Chairman of the Elections Commission has mentioned having the elections on 9 December.”

In response the Prime Minister said: “I haven’t decided this date. I can summon the party leaders during the next sitting week. But that will have to wait until the decision of the Elections Commission.”