Nominations called for long postponed local polls from March 17

Despite the requests made by the opposition to fix a date for the local government elections after the conclusion of budget debates, the Election Commission announced on yesterday that they will accept nominations for the 2025 Local Government Elections from 17 March 2025.

A senior election officer said that the nomination period will end on 20 March, only a day before the third reading of the Appropriation Bill. Thus, political parties will not have to divide their time between debating and campaigning, he said.

Commenting on the announcement, Executive Director of the Institute of Democratic Reforms and Electoral Studies (IRES) Manjula Gajanayake, told The Island that they welcomeD the announcement of the Commission and that the Supreme Court last year had directed the Commission to hold the long delayed local council elections as soon as possible.

“Local councils had been inactive for almost two years now,” he said.

Chairman of the Commission R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said the commission will accept nominations until 12 noon on 20 March 2025.

The notices announcing the acceptance of nominations for 336 local government institutions, which includes 28 Municipal Councils, 36 Urban Councils and 272 Pradeshiya Sabhas, had now been published in the respective local authorities, he said.

However, elections will not be held to Kalmunai Municipal Council, Dehiattakandiya Pradeshiya Sabha (Ampara District), Mannar Pradeshiya Sabha (Mannar District), Punakari Pradeshiya Sabha (Kilinochchi District), and Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha (Galle District).

Deposits from candidates will be accepted from March 3 to March 19, 2025, until 12.00 noon, excluding March 13, the Poya Day and weekends on March 8, 9, 15, and 16. (RK)