General Election 2010:
Nominations over
Several rejected:
Largest number in the fray:
Chaminda PERERA
A large number of recognized political parties and independent groups
are in the fray to select 225 legislators for the 7th Parliament at the
General election scheduled to be held on April 8.
The period granted by the Elections Commissioner to accept
nominations ended at noon yesterday.
The 225 member Parliament comprises 196 elected members and 29
members from the National List. The candidates from the National List
are elected on the basis of election results while 196 candidates are
elected to the Legislature under the PR system.
Almost all political parties in contention have introduced new faces
to the election this time. A number of nomination lists forwarded by
recognized political parties and independent groups to several districts
were rejected by the retuning officers due to numerous reasons.
For the Digamadulla district, 48 independent groups and 18 political
parties handed in nominations while 22 recognized political parties and
16 independent groups are contesting in the Colombo district.
Five independent groups and 16 political parties are vying for eight
Parliamentary seats in the Matara district. Nomination papers of two out
of 18 recognized political parties were rejected by the Matara District
Returning Officer.
Matara District Returning Officer, WKK Atukorala said the nomination
papers of Eksath Lanka Maha Sabhawa and Api Okkoma Rajawaru and Okkoma
Wesiyo were rejected yesterday.
According to Kandy District Returning Officer Gotabhaya Jayaratne, 14
political parties and 17 independent groups have qualified to contest
the upcoming General election while the nominations of two political
parties and an independent group were rejected by him.
Meanwhile, Galle District Retuning Officer Asoka Jayasekera announced
yesterday that the nominations of four political parties and an
independent group were rejected by him. The Returning Officer rejected
the nominations of Deshapremi National Party, Sri Lanka Labour Party,
Leftist Liberation party and Ruhunu Janatha Peramuna.
Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka is in the UPFA National List
while his son Vidura Wickramanayaka is contesting from the Kalutara
district.
Former Ministers D.M. Jayaratne, M.H. Mohammed, Prof Wiswa Warnapala,
Prof Tissa Vitharana, Prof G.L. Peiris, Dullas Alahapperuma, DEW
Gunasekera, Geethanjana Gunawardene, Achala Jagoda and Vinayagamoorthi
Muralitharan are included in the National List.
UPFA General Secretary and Education Minister Susil Premajayantha
handed over the UPFA National List to the Elections Commissioner at the
Elections Secretariat yesterday.
Former Speaker W.J.M Lokubandara and veteran artiste Malani Fonseka
have also been included in the National List.
Free and fair polls pledge before President
UPFA candidates contesting the April 8 General Election will make a
pledge to commit themselves for a free and fair election before
President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Anuradhapura today.
These candidates according to their faith will participate in
religious activities before taking the pledge for a free and fair
election.
The religious observances will take place at the Jayasiri Maha Bodhi,
Kadireshan Kovil and St John’s Church in Anuradhapura today
- CP |