Crucial LG polls today after seven-year lapse

Tuesday, 6 May 2025 02:54 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Election Commission officials monitored distribution of ballot boxes and polling materials at Royal College, Colombo, yesterday, ahead of the Local Government elections scheduled for today — Pic by Sameera Wijesinghe

Over 17 million voters will head to the polls after a delay of seven years to elect their representatives to Local Government (LG) institutions.

The ruling National People’s Power (NPP), headed by President Anura Kumara Disanayake, is seeking to win a majority in the local authorities too, while several Opposition parties in the fray are seeking a strong mandate from the people, citing undelivered promises to the public in the run-up to the Presidential and General Elections.

The elections, originally due in 2022, come after over two years without functioning LG bodies, leaving many communities with under-appointed administrative control.

A total of 8,287 members will be elected today to 339 local councils, including 28 Municipal Councils (Colombo, Kandy, Galle, Jaffna, amongst others), 36 Urban Councils, and 275 Pradeshiya Sabhas.

According to the Election Commission, over 17.2 million citizens are eligible to vote out of a population of 21.5 million, with over 155,000 first-time voters casting their ballots today.

Voting will begin at 7 a.m. and will continue until 4 p.m., taking place across 4,877 electoral divisions, a reduction from the original 4,917 due to administrative and legal adjustments. Over 72,000 candidates are contesting the election, highlighting its competitive nature.

Election Commission Chairman R.M.A.L. Rathnayake encouraged citizens to exercise their franchise, noting that voters without polling cards can still vote with valid identification.

He assured that the Election Commission has made logistical arrangements to accommodate all eligible voters and ensure transparency.

The election will be monitored exclusively by domestic observers, with no international monitoring presence. Leading civil society organisations such as PAFFREL (People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections), CAFE (Campaign for Free and Fair Elections), and the Institute for Democratic Reforms and Electoral Studies (IRES) have deployed a combined force of nearly 4,500 observers, including mobile monitoring teams.

To secure the integrity of the election, over 70,000 Police officers have also been deployed countrywide. Sri Lanka Police said enforcement agencies have already arrested 245 individuals, including 46 candidates and 199 supporters, for violating election laws between 3 March and 30 April, underlining the tension and sensitivity surrounding the polls.

All campaign activities ceased at midnight on Saturday (3) in accordance with the mandated election silence period. However, authorities reported 25 additional complaints of violations within a 24-hour window over the weekend.

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