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Under UPFA Govt’s program to strengthen democracy:
Twenty more LG bodies in North go to polls on July 23
by P. Krishnaswamy
 Twenty more Local Government bodies that remained defunct in the
North for over two decades due to LTTE terrorism will go to the polls on
July 23 to re-elect people’s representatives under the UPFA Government’s
program to strengthen democracy.
Elections will be held for 16 Pradeshiya Sabhas and three Urban
Councils in the Jaffna district, three Pradeshiya Sabhas in the
Kilinochchi district and one Pradeshiya Sabha in the Mullaitivu district
as the de-mining process has further delayed elections to two Pradeshiya
Sabhas, the Pudukudiyiruppu and Maritimepatru Pradeshiya Sabhas.
Political analysts said the elections will mark a milestone in the
lives of people in the North, in that they would have their democratic
institutions in place to address livelihood and infrastructure
requirements, similar to those prevailing in other parts of the country.
Assistant Commissioner of Elections for the Jaffna district A.S.
Karunanidhi told the Sunday Observer that he is ready for the polls with
a fully-fledged elections office in Kilinochchi.
Ballot papers for postal votes scheduled for the July 12 elections
will be despatched on July 1, he said.
A three-member team of election officials from Colombo, assigned by
the Commissioner of Elections Mahinda Desapriya is due to arrive in
Vavuniya today for meetings and consultations with Government officials,
election officers and representatives of political parties to ensure
that all election laws are adhered to for the conduct of a smooth poll,
Assistant Commissioner of Elections for Vavuniya S.Suthagaran said.
The team will visit Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi and Vavuniya, he
said.
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