News
Opposition asks EC to hold LG polls on 19 March
threatens legal action against errant officials
All Opposition parties have called on the Election Commission (EC) to hold the local government (LG) polls by 19 March. The SJB, the JVP-led NPP, the TNA, the SLFP, the TPA, the SLMC, the ACMC, and the breakaway fractions of the SLPP, had jointly written to the EC, urging it to hold the LG elections on 19 March, in keeping with its undertaking given to Court, TNA Batticaloa District MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam told The Island.
The Opposition parties have also sought a meeting with the EC members at 9 am tomorrow (07).The TNA and the JVP, on Saturday, warned the government, and public officials, either to respect the Supreme Court order and help conduct the LG polls or to get ready to face legal action for contempt of court.
Addressing the media in Colombo on Saturday, TNA spokesman, Jaffna District MP MA Sumanthiran, said that they hoped the EC would fix a new date for the LG polls to be held before the legally mandated 19 March.
“There is no need for discussions with the Secretary to the Treasury or anyone else on this matter. The Election Commission has said it would meet the Treasury Secretary to fix a date for the elections. We see this as a ploy by the members of the Election Commission
to delay the polls further. We demand that the Election Commission meet immediately. During an elections period, every day is considered a working day for its members. They must meet immediately and fix a date before 20 March to conduct elections,” Sumanthiran said.
Addressing the media at the JVP Headquarters in Pelawatte, Attorney-at-Law Sunil Watagala on Saturday said that the EC was one of the respondents in the case and had to respect the court order. “If it cares for the people’s franchise, it should fix an early date for the elections. If any public official defies the Supreme Court order, he or she will be charged with contempt of court,” he said.
Watagala said that according to the Supreme Court order, President Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Finance Minister and the Cabinet had to release the Rs. 10 billion allocated for the local council polls from the 2023 Budget.
Watagala said the state officials including the Treasury Secretary, the Attorney General and IGP also had to abide by the Supreme Court interim order.The letter addressed to the Elections Commission was signed by MPs Prof GL Peiris, Vijitha Herath, Mano Ganeshan, Rishad Bathuideen, Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Rauf Hakim, Rasamanickam and Dayasiri Jayasekera.
The letter titled, ‘Urgent action and request for an urgent meeting’ says: “We write consequent to the order of the Supreme Court made on 3rd March 2023, in SC FR 69/2023 restraining the Minister of Finance, the Secretary to the Treasury and others from withholding necessary funds for the conduct of the Local Government Elections that was scheduled to be held on 9th March 2023. The Court has also made a further order to the Government Printer in respect to the printing of ballot papers.
“You gave an undertaking in SC Writ 6/2023 and SC Writ 7/2023 that you will hold the said elections according to law. You are aware that according to law, the said elections should be held on or before 19th 2023. When the Secretary to the Treasury and the Government Printer did not cooperate with you, you filed a Motion in the aforesaid two cases seeking court’s direction on them.
“Now that the Supreme Court has removed the only impediment to holding the elections according to law, it is your imperative duty to conduct the said elections on or before 19th March 2023. We do not see any reason why you should consult the Secretary to the Treasury or anyone else, now that they are bound to comply with the interim order issued by the Supreme Court as aforesaid.
“We therefore request you to re-fix the date of the Local Government Elections on a date before 20th March 2023 as required by law or the earliest possible date without any further delay. You should not prevaricate on the pretext of consultation with anyone.
In addition to the above we wish to meet with your Commission at 9.00 am on 07th March 2023 at the Elections Secretariat.”
A discussion with the Catholic Council was held on Thursday (21) afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat under the co-chairmanship of Minister of Science and Technology, Chrishantha Abeysena and Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.
Discussions focused on administrative issues relating to Catholic schools taken over by the Government, the formulation of a structured teacher cadre system for Catholic religious education, the need to recruit Catholic nuns and priests into the teaching profession and the establishment of a mechanism to obtain the support of the Ministry of Education for the administration of Government-acquired Catholic schools.
It was also decided that discussions with the Catholic Council would be held three times annually, while Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage would serve as Secretary to the forum.
Expressing appreciation on behalf of the Catholic Council, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith thanked President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Government for facilitating the discussion.
His Eminence further stated that the expectation was to ensure every student, without discrimination, is given the opportunity to learn his or her own religion and stressed the importance of resolving the prevailing issues within the education sector.
Also present at the occasion were Most Rev. Bishop Harold Anthony Perera, Most Rev. Bishop Christy Noel Emmanuel, Most Rev. Bishop Anton Ranjith, Most Rev. Bishop Wimal Siri Jayasuriya, other clergy representing the Catholic Council, Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Nalaka Kaluwewa and senior officials of the Ministry of Education.
(PMD)
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided to broaden the Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy, which was launched last year. Unlike the inaugural edition held in November 2025 that featured eight Associate teams, the second edition will comprise 10 teams, including five Test-playing nations. The tournament is scheduled to be held in November this year.
Italian Navy’s ITS GIOVANNI DELLE BANDE NERE, which arrived in Colombo (21 May 2026) on a replenishment visit, departed the island today (22 May).
The Sri Lanka Navy bade a customary farewell to the departing ship in compliance with naval traditions at the port of Colombo.
During her brief stay in Colombo, the Commanding Officer of the ship, Commander Antonio BUFIS called on the Commander Western Naval Area at the Western Naval Command Headquarters.
Catholic Council reconvenes after nine years
ICC to widen Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy
Italian Navy’s ITS GIOVANNI DELLE BANDE NERE departs following replenishment visit
PM meets Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations
Tennessee execution called off after failed lethal injection
Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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