Govt yet to decide on mode of LG polls
By Uditha Kumarasinghe
Public Administration, Provincial Council and Local Government
Minister Karu Jayasuriya told Parliament yesterday that the Government
has not finalised whether it will hold the elections for the local
government bodies, under the first-fast-the-post system or the
proportional representation system. The Government has to consider the
reports of the delimitation committees.
Responding to a series of queries raised by MEP Leader MP Dinesh
Gunawardena, the Minister said that after studying the reports of the
committees, the Government will announce its decision.
MP Gunawardena wanted to know as to how the Government is planning to
hold elections because the Parliament had passed new legislations to
hold Local Government polls under the new system while the term of some
of the bodies are due to end in March and April this year.
Minister Jayasuriya informed the House that the term of 234 local
government bodies including three Municipal Councils, 30 Urban Councils
and 201 Pradeshiya Sabhas will end on March 31 this year.
The term of another 65 bodies including one Municipal Council, 7
Urban Councils and 57 Pradeshiya Sabhas which commenced their term on
August 1, 2011 will on July 31, 2015. The term of 21 other bodies
including 15 Municipal Councils, one Urban Council and five Pradeshiya
Sabhas are due to end on October 16. |