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.