JVP Propaganda Secretary and MP Vijitha Herath

• Claims Wickremesinghe’s plan to reduce LG members is a new scheme to delay elections 
• Says Govt. is unable to face a vote as public opinion has changed drastically
• Demands Govt. to stop suppressing democratic rights of people

Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Propaganda Secretary and MP Vijitha Herath says the President’s recent announcement that he intends to reduce the number of council members for local Government bodies from 8000 to 4000 is nothing but yet another delay tactic. 

“The number of council members was increased to 8000 during the Ranil - Maithripala regime. The same Ranil Wickremesinghe is now claiming these numbers must be reduced in an attempt to delay the local Government elections further,” he said. 

According to Herath, the President has made this announcement at a time the elections have been delayed for yet another year using the powers of the relevant Minister and while Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena had assured Parliament elections would be held in a timely manner. Herath made these comments at a press briefing held at the Party head office in Pelawatte yesterday. 

“The elections are being delayed due to the Government’s inability to hold a vote when the public opinion has completely changed,” he alleged. 

On Sunday, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said his party intends to reduce the number of council members and implement a chairman-based committee system for Pradeshiya Sabhas. Wickremesinghe said these changes will be implemented prior to holding the next local Government elections and draft laws will be prepared to incorporate them. 

But according to Herath, these changes would require the Government to go for a new delimitation that will change the existing electoral divisions. “They are attempting to use the delimitation process as a tactic in an undemocratic manner to delay polls,” he said. “They have already delayed the elections by a year claiming failure to get the delimitation amendment proposal approved in Parliament is an obstacle to an election,” he added. 

“We demand the Government to immediately stop the undemocratic postponement of the election. The people are requesting a parliamentary election as well. But the Government is attempting to delay that too by claiming the problematic proportional representation system must be changed prior to that,” Herath said.  

Herath said the JVP along with other civil society groups will force the Government to hold elections in a timely manner to ensure the people’s sovereignty. “We will not allow Ranil Wickremesinghe to suppress the democratic rights of the people,” he said. He called on the people not to be fooled by Wickremesinghe and his claims of having to reduce the number of council members as it can even be done 

after an election.  “There are methods for elections to be held in a timely manner and the number of council members to be reduced thereafter. If the Government feels that is not possible, then local Government bodies should be dissolved and waste of public money should be avoided,” he said. 

G.L. threatens Govt. with legal action over attempts to delay LG polls