February 04, Colombo (LNW): The Chairman of the Election Commission, R.M.A.L. Ratnayake, has announced that preparations for the upcoming Local Government (LG) elections are well underway, with the election body awaiting the delivery of several crucial Supreme Court rulings to the Speaker of Parliament before setting a date for the polls.
Speaking at a briefing, Ratnayake outlined that once the rulings on the ongoing legal cases related to the LG elections are handed over to Parliament, the Commission will be fully prepared to proceed with organising the elections.
He reassured the public that the election body is ready to take all the necessary steps as soon as the legal framework is cleared.
The Chairman also provided updates on the status of Provincial Council elections, stating that these would follow once the required amendments to the Provincial Council Election Act are approved by Parliament.
He indicated that the Election Commission stands ready to oversee these elections once the legislative changes are enacted, although they are still awaiting the finalisation of the necessary amendments.
Ratnayake acknowledged the frequent inquiries the Commission has received about the timing of the LG elections, confirming that the delay is solely due to the pending Supreme Court decisions.
He reiterated that, “Once the court rulings are formally delivered to the Speaker of Parliament, the Election Commission will take immediate action to conduct the Local Government elections.”
Addressing concerns about the financial preparations for the elections, Ratnayake reassured the public that sufficient funding for the LG polls has already been allocated.
This financial support is expected to ensure that the elections can be conducted smoothly once the legal and legislative hurdles are cleared.
