Local Govt polls in Jaffna and Vavuniya:

Nominations being finalised

by L. S. Ananda WEDAARACHCHI

While the UPFA, UNP and other national political parties were finalising their nomination lists for the Jaffna and Vavuniya Local Government polls, three independent groups had already paid their deposits at the Jaffna and Vavuniya Secretariats for the forthcoming LG polls.

The final date of accepting nominations will be Thursday, June 25. EPDP leader and Minister of Social Services and Social Welfare, Douglas Devananda told the Sunday Observer that a final decision of the EPDP and its alliance list will be taken next week.

The EPDP list was ready and a few matters such as the candidate’s symbol has to be decided on, he said.

TULF President and Secretary of the newly set up Democratic Tamil National Alliance (DTNA) V. Anandasangaree said that his party was ready to contest alone both LG bodies in Jaffna and Vavuniya.

“As agreed earlier, if the EPRLF (Naba) and PLOTE agree to contest under the common symbol of the rising sun, opportunities are available to work together,” Sangaree said.

UNP Secretary Tissa Attanayaka said that his party will contest the Jaffna Municipal Council and Vavuniya Urban Council. Nomination papers which were being finalised, will be handed over to the District Secretaries next week.

Local Government elections in Jaffna and Vavuniya will be held after 12 years. In 1995, after the liberation of the Jaffna peninsula local government elections were held in the district. The TULF won the Jaffna Municipal Council with Sarojini Yogeswaran becoming the Mayor.

A few months after the election she was gunned down by the LTTE. Her successor K. Sivapalan also died in a bomb explosion carried out by the LTTE. Certain Senior Army and police officials also died in the explosion.