Newly elected LG bodies to meet next week

Government sources say that the inaugural meetings of the newly elected local government institutions of Sri Lanka will be held before 1 April.

The sources say that according to the Local Government Election Act, the elected councils must meet within 14 days.

The Elections Commissioner is to gazette the names of the councilors later this week.

Meanwhile, the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance sources say that the number of preferential votes of the candidates will not be considered when the chairman and the deputy chairman of the local government institutions are appointed.

Balance LG polls next

Elections Department sources indicate that the postponed local government elections will be held by the end of May or the beginning of June.

The Elections Department expects the lawsuits filed by political parties and the independent groups regarding rejection of nominations will be heard and verdicts delivered soon.

Elections of 65 local government bodies were postponed due to petitions.

Two more local government institutes in the Mullaitivu District were not ready for elections since the demining operations were still in progress.

Meanwhile the mandate of the 35 local government institutions for which the elections were postponed due to the ongoing Cricket World Cup end by 31 May.