By: Isuru Parakrama
December 11, Colombo (LNW): The Attorney General has informed the Supreme Court that the Cabinet of Ministers has instructed the legal draftsman to amend the Local Government Elections (Special Provisions) Bill to facilitate the holding of the upcoming Local Government elections using the 2024 voters’ list.
The proposed amendments are aimed at ensuring that the young voters, who will be included in the updated register, are able to exercise their right to vote.
Deputy Solicitor General Nirmalan Vigneswaran made this statement on behalf of the Attorney General during the hearing of a Fundamental Rights petition, which sought a court order mandating the use of the 2024 voters’ list for the Local Government elections.
The petition was presented before a three-member bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Chief Justice Murdu Fernando, and Justices Arjuna Obeysekara and Priyantha Fernando.
The Deputy Solicitor General further informed the court that the Cabinet has also instructed amendments to allow the invalidation of previously submitted nominations for the elections, as well as the reopening of the nomination process to ensure fresh candidates are put forward.
During the proceedings, President’s Counsel Ali Sabry, representing the petitioners, requested the court to order the publication of advertisements in all three languages in newspapers, so that the general public could be informed and given an opportunity to intervene in this important case.
The Supreme Court bench granted the request and also instructed the petitioning party to issue notices to the respondents, including the Chairman of the Election Commission, to appear before the court.
The case was adjourned, with the Supreme Court scheduling the next hearing for 29th January 2025.
