The Election Secretariat is currently making preparations for the Provincial Council elections scheduled to be held during first week of October, Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said yesterday.
He said the terms of the Eastern, North Central and the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Councils will expire between September 6 and October 1.
He also pointed out that according to the provisions the date of the Provincial
Council Election should be declared within a week of such expiration.He made these observations yesterday at a press conference held at the Election Secretariat in Rajagiriya.
“According to the provisions of the law the Provincial Council Election cannot be postponed,” Deshapriya said. “If it is needed to be postponed a motion should be passed with two third majority of all the members including those absent”.
He also pointed out that the Provincial Council Election could be called even today by dissolving the Provincial Councils. “If there is a view that all the provincial council elections are needed to be held together, it could be done by way of early dissolution of other Provincial Councils as well,” Election Commission Chairman Deshapriya said.
He said the Local Government Election could be held provided Parliament passes the Local Government Election Bill soon which is before it. “The representatives of the political parties that represent Parliament promised at a meeting at the Election Secretariat yesterday that they will support to pass the Bill,” Chairman Deshapriya said. “However we need a 75 day period to hold the local government election after the Act is passed. The news circulated that 55 days was enough was incorrect and that period was for the Provincial Council election.”