Tussle for becoming Mayor hots up
 

by Jayantha Sri Nissanka

The tussle over the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) mayoralty is likely turn into a major legal battle between UNP?s Sirisena Cooray and Election Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake.

Cooray plans to be the Mayor after Uvais Mohammed Imitiaz of the Independent Group Three submits his resignation after taking oaths as the next Mayor. Cooray intends to take legal action against the Election Commissioner should he refuse to accept his name as the Mayor following the resignation of Uvais Mohammed Imitiaz.

Commissioner Dissanayake hinted before the last Local Government polls that persons whose names are not in the nomination list will not be allowed to enter the Municipal Councils.

The Commissioner might have taken this decision after studying Supreme Court judgement on the appointment of Samaraweera Weerawanni as the Chief Minister and the Mawanella Pradeshiya Sabaha litigation instituted by Mohammed Mazahir, a senior official of the Election Department stated.

When Cooray was asked as to how he could challenge the Commissioner, as two similar judgements have been given by the Supreme Court already, he noted that if such a case was heard why did the Commissioner not check the National List before gazetting names of Ratnasiri Wickremenayake who is the Prime Minister today and Dallas Alahapperuma as MPs.

According to Cooray should his attempt to be the CMC Mayor fail, all the members of the Independent Group Three list will resign forcing a fresh election for the CMC.

Section 65 A (2) para II of the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance says that if all members tender their resignations, the Returning Officer must inform the Minister of Local Government through the Commissioner, thereafter the Minister shall call up on the Commissioner to call an election to fill all vacancies.

All preparations have been arranged to take oaths for Uvais Mohammed Imitiaz and U. Chandrasena as CMC Mayor and Deputy Mayor before Sirisena Cooray since Cooray is a Justice of the Peace.