The Chairman of the Election Commission, Nimal G., said that an expeditious decision will be taken based on the powers vested in the Election Commission after the 20th of September regarding the holding of the local government elections that have been postponed.
He also says that a request has been made to transfer the power of the political authority to postpone elections to the Election Commission.
While addressing a meeting held yesterday, the Chairman of the Election Commission also said: “The Election Commission is there to hold elections. If we are directed to hold any election, legally, the commission is ready to do it.
We have told the authorities that the provincial council election that we have delayed for so long should be held soon.
“We have delayed it for so long. Therefore, the opportunity for those elected representatives has been lost. As a result, the councils are subject to bureaucratic scrutiny.
At the Parliamentary Select Committee, we strongly recommended a new set of election laws was necessary for the holding of elections. Now,there is some consensus that a minor legal amendment should be made to the legislation in Parliament enabling the holding of elections under the old system.
Local government elections have been postponed by a year. The minister did it. We have also requested that the power to postpone elections be given to the Election Commission. When a minister does it, the other party may interpret it as political manoeuvring and something done for political reasons, regardless of how sound the reasons may be.
The local government election has been postponed until next March. But after September 20, the Election Commission will have the power to act on the postponed elections, he said.
