Nominations called for SPC polls

With the dissolution of the Southern Provincial Council on August 3 midnight, the Elections Department yesterday called for nominations for the election of members to the Council commencing August 21, 2009.

Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake issued the Gazette Extraordinary No. 1613/30 of August 07, 2009 calling nomination for the election of members to the Southern Provincial Council, according to Section10 of the Provincial Council Elections Act No.2 of 1988. Nominations will be received by the Returning Officers of Galle, Matara and Hambantota districts from August 21, 2009 to noon on August 28, 2009.

The deposit required is Rs.2,000 per candidate, a press release issued by the Elections Commissioner said yesterday.

The Southern Provincial Council was the last Provincial Council to be dissolved and elections for all the other Provincial Councils except for the Northern Provincial Council has already been conducted this year.

The ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance has been able take over the administration of all Provincial Councils including the Uva Provincial Council which concluded last Saturday. At the Uva Provincial Council election, which was the first election held after the complete liberation of the country from the LTTE, the ruling UPFA was able to secure more than a two third majority winning 25 seats out of the 34 members council.

At the Southern Provincial Council, 23 Members from the Galle district, 18 Members from the Matara district and 12 Members from the Hambantota district are to be elected. Therefore, political parties and Independent Groups contesting the election are requested to file 26 nominations to the Galle district, 21 to the Matara district and 15 to the Hambantota district in their nominations lists.

The date for the Southern Provincial Council elections will be announced on the conclusion of the receipt of nominations.