Kandy Mayor dismissed

Asela KURULUWANSA, Indrani THORADENIYA and Central Province Special Corr.

The post of Mayor of the Kandy Municipal Council fell vacant yesterday with the decision taken by Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake to dismiss former Mayor LB Aluvihare from the post. The Chief Minister issued a Gazette Notification giving effect to the expulsion.

The expulsion was also communicated to the Elections Commissioner by Kandy Municipal Council Commissioner Chandana Tennakoon by letter dated August 31. Accordingly, a new Mayor will be appointed by the UNP to replace Aluvihare.

The former Mayor was suspended from his post by the Chief Minister six months ago over allegations of mismanagement. A one-member Commission comprising a retired judge was appointed to probe the allegations and the Chief Minister acting on the findings of this report decided to expel the former Mayor.

Meanwhile, seven UNP members and the JVP member boycotted the meeting of the Kandy Municipal Council yesterday evening and walked out in protest against the removal of the Mayor L.B. Aluvihare by the Chief Minister. However the UPFA member remained and the meeting went on till late evening presided over by Acting Mayor Duminda Wickremasinghe.