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SLPP rebels question legality of Prez, AG meeting EC members as accusations grow over bid to postpone LG polls

By Shamindra Ferdinando
The SLPP rebel group, Nidahasa Jathika Sabhawa, yesterday (09), questioned the legality of President Ranil Wickremesinghe twice meeting members of the Election Commission (EC) to discuss the scheduled Local Government polls.
Prof. G. L. Peiris said President Wickremesinghe shouldn’t have summoned them as he was a leader of a political party contesting the election.
President Wickremesinghe met EC members late last year and on January 05 this year.
The former Foreign Minister raised this issue while addressing the media at Nawala, close on the heels of President Wickremesinghe’s declaration that the EC was sharply divided over the conduct of the poll amidst continuing economic instability.
Displaying a gazette notification, dated Dec 29, 2022, issued by the EC, pertaining to the nominations for the LG polls, Prof. Peiris pointed out that contrary to claims by the President and various other government spokesmen the EC was unanimous in its decision.
A senior spokesperson for the EC confirmed the meetings. According to him, all five members namely Nimal Punchihewa (Chairman), M.M. Mohamed, S,B. Divaratne, K.P.P. Pathirana and Mrs. P.S.N. Charles attended hitherto not reported first meeting. However, Pathirana had not been present at the second meeting as he was receiving medical treatment. Director General, EC Saman Sri Ratnayake has attended both meetings.
Alleging that the EC was under tremendous government pressure, Prof. Peiris said that it could be dealt with in terms of the Penal Code.
Referring to Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam, PC’s role in the whole affair, the former top law academic stressed that the government Chief Legal Officer shouldn’t get involved at all. Prof. Peiris questioned the AG’s participation in a meeting chaired by President Wickremesinghe on January 05.
The former Law Professor referred to two Supreme Court rulings given by one-time Chief Justice Priyasath Dep and the late justice Mark Fernando to underscore that scheduled LG polls couldn’t be put off.
In terms of the Constitution, new LG bodies have to be established by March 20, 2023.
Alleging that the government has been engaged in a propaganda campaign to justify planned postponement of LG polls on the basis of unavailability of funds, the ex-Minister said that the postponement of elections was not the prerogative of the President, Cabinet-of-Ministers or the Finance Ministry.
Acknowledging the continuing economic hardships experienced by the population, Prof. Peiris challenged the government to remove all 39 State Ministers to save much needed funds.
Prof. Peiris said that the Supreme Court would take up on January 18 two petitions filed by the Opposition seeking the apex court’s intervention. Samagi Jana Balavegaya, two SLPP rebel groups, the SLPP and TNA have moved the Supreme Court.
Attorney-at-Law Punchihewa has declared that nominations would be accepted from January 18 to 21.
Prof. Peiris pointed out that the UNP was determined to put off polls as it realized the certain defeat it would suffer. In spite of the SLPP being the largest political grouping in parliament even after three groups of its MPs declared intention to operate independently, it was in total disarray, the former minister said.
Therefore, the Wickremasinghe-Rajapaksa government’s ongoing efforts to put off the election was understandable, he pointed out.
News
PNS Shahjahan departs after successful naval exercise

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News
EC opposes govt. move to appoint its henchmen to monitor local councils

By Priyan de Silva
The Election Commission (ECSL) has opposed a move by the government to appoint representatives of the Chairpersons of the Regional Development Committee to monitor local government institutions.
ECSL Chairman Nimal G. Punchihewa told The Island that the government had informed the ECSL of its plan to appoint representatives of the Chairpersons of the Regional Development Committee to monitor the local government bodies and the ECSL had decided to write to the Ministry of Local Government opposing the move, he said. A Chairman of a regional development committee ESD a representative of a particular political party and it would be unfair by other parties for such appointments to be made, the EC Chairman said.
Punchihewa said that the administration of local government institutions could be done through Municipal Commissioners and Divisional Secretaries.Many political parties had complained against the government move, he said.
News
JVP says govt. has enough funds for elections

By Saman Indrajith
The JVP would file a fresh application before the Supreme Court against the government for not holding the local council polls, JVP MP Vijitha Herath said yesterday.Addressing the media at the party headquarters in Pelawatte, Herath said that his party had ascertained fresh information by invoking the Right to Information Act about the funds needed for the holding of the elections and his party would file another fundamental rights case against those responsible for conducting elections.
“The LG polls were to be held on 09 March. They were postponed until 25 April, and later they were put off indefinitely. The President appoints Governors to the provinces and the local councils are under them. Now, he says no party commands the support of 50 percent of voters.
Is this reason why he is not holding elections? His claim that there are no funds for elections is not acceptable. The Election Commission (EC) has, in a letter to the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, asked for Rs 1,100 million in installments for conducting local government elections. The Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, on 07 March, informed
the EC that the latter’s request had been referred to the Minister of Finance on the same day. But so far the money has not been released. As per a report released by the Treasury, the government revenue was Rs 177,900 million in January this year alone. Of that amount, Rs 156,760 was allocated to government institutions. The Treasury has Rs 21,410 million. In February, the government revenue was at Rs. 271,750 million and of that Rs. 208,620 million was spent. The balance was Rs 63,130 million. In January and February, the Treasury had Rs 84,270 million. These figures have been officially confirmed by a Deputy Treasury Secretary. The EC is seeking only Rs 2,460 million for elections. So, the claim that there is no money for elections is false as per official records. We will submit this information to the Supreme Court when we file a fresh application. We will prove that the government has lied to people,” Herath said.
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