By Shamindra Ferdinando

Nimal G. Punchihewa, Chairman of the Election Commission yesterday (16) said that in spite of functioning in sort of an interim/caretaker capacity consequent to the enactment of the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, his commission could conduct the scheduled Local Government election on or before March 20, 2023.

Punchihewa said that since Sept. 20, this year, the Election Commission had received the constitutional right to call Local Government polls.

Attorney-at-law Punchihewa said so when The Island sought his response to the representations made by 16 political parties and groups on the previous day regarding the alleged attempts to postpone the scheduled elections. The Opposition group included SJB leader Sajith Premadasa as well as SLPP rebels, including Prof. G.L. Peiris, TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran and SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekera.

The EC team consists of Punchihewa, M.M. Mohamed, S.B. Divaratne, K.P.P. Pathirana and P.S.M. Charles.

Following the enactment of the 21st Amendment, independent commissions, including the Election Commission would have to be reconstituted though until then the existing outfits would continue to function, Punchihewa said. The parliament is in the process of finalising the Constitutional Council.

Last Local Government elections were held in February 2018. Contesting its first election since formation in 2016, the SLPP comfortably won the lion’s share of 341 Local Government bodies.

In Dec 2021, the then Provincial Council and Local Government Minister Roshan Ranasinghe postponed Local Government elections by a year claiming the government feared the spread of Covid-19.

Responding to further questions, Punchihewa acknowledged that the Opposition couldn’t be faulted for having suspicions of possible attempts to postpone Local Government polls. However, the Election Commission was continuing preparations in that regard and didn’t foresee obstacles, he said.

Reiterating EC’s commitment to conduct the scheduled poll, Punchihewa said that announcement of poll day in early January would be sufficient to complete the preparations.

Punchihewa said that those who had been pushing for Local Government polls were concerned about the recent appointment of the new National Delimitation Committee to demarcate wards for local authorities and the call for the appointment of a Parliamentary Select Committee on electoral reforms.

The biggest envisaged reform is to drastically cut down the number of local government representatives by about 50 percent from the current burdensome 8,000 odd members to about 4,000.

The appointment of the committee was announced in an extraordinary gazette issued by Premier Dinesh Gunawardena, in his capacity as the Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government. The committee is effective from Nov 01, 2022 to Feb 28, 2023. Headed by Punchihewa’s predecessor, Mahinda Deshapriya, the committee includes Jayalath R.V. Dissanayake, Mrs. W.M.M.R. Adikari, K. Thavalingam and I. A. Hameed.

Punchihewa said that the government couldn’t absolve itself of the responsibility for ensuring sufficient funds to sustain their work.

Mahinda Deshapriya claimed that the work undertaken by his committee wouldn’t cause further delay in Local Government polls. The former EC Chief dismissed allegations that the appointment of National Delimitation Committee was a ruse to put off scheduled elections.

Deshapriya said that every effort would be made to complete the task assigned to them ahead of schedule.

Meanwhile, Executive Director, PAFFREL (People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections) Rohana Hettiarachchi told The Island that the government shouldn’t interfere with the scheduled Local Government polls.

Questioning the call for PSC on electoral reforms and fresh delimitation process months ahead of anticipated Local Government polls, Hettiarachchi warned the government over alleged moves to cause further delays. The civil society activist recalled the massive defeat suffered by yahapalana partners who put off Local Government polls. When they finally called elections, they were routed and never recovered from the defeat experienced at Feb 2018 Local Government polls, Hettiarachchi said, adding that PAFFREL recently brought their concerns to the notice of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.