Nominations begin on dull note

Chaminda Perera

Postal vote applications:

Deadline extended upto Jan 27

The deadline for the postal voting applications has been extended up to January 27, Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake said in a press release.

The applications received after the above date will be considered as late applications and rejected, the release said.

All duly filled applications signed by immediate superiors should be forwarded to the certifying officers. The signature of the superior is necessary to prevent any forged applications.

When the certifying officer becomes an applicant, the immediate superior’s signature is not required, it said.

The certifying officer should certify the applications with his signature and official rank. It is also essential for him to indicate his National Identity Card number and the telephone number in the application. Eventhough there is no special column or place in the form to indicate the certifying officer’s Identity Card number, it should be written in a blank space in the form.

Acceptance of nominations from recognized political parties and independent groups for 301 Local Government bodies began yesterday at District Secretariats islandwide. According to Elections Department sources, not a single nomination paper was received by the district returning officers except in Colombo and a few other districts. Janasetha Peramuna General Secretary Ven Battaramulle Seelarathana Thera handed over nominations of candidates in respect of the Kesbewa and Homagama Pradeshiya Sabhas under his party.

Returning Officers of Badulla, Batticloa, Gampaha, Galle, Hambantota Kandy, Kalutara and several other districts said that they did not receive a single nomination paper from recognized political parties or independent groups.

Meanwhile, Elections Department officials yesterday said all applications for the registration of new political parties were turned down by the Department as they failed to meet the criteria laid down by the Department in respect of registering new political parties.

The Elections Commissioner will announce the date of election at the closure of acceptance of nomination at noon on January 27. Department sources added that independent groups contesting the forthcoming election should submit their deposits before noon on January 27. Each candidate should forward a deposit of Rs 250. Candidates from recognized political parties and independent groups will contest for eight newly established local Government bodies in the Colombo, Ampara, Kurunegala, Badulla and Batticaloa districts.

Kaduwela, Dambulla, Akkaraipattu and Bandarawela Urban Councils were elevated into a Municipal Council. Eravur Pradeshiya Sabha became an Urban Councils while new Pradeshiya Sabhas were created for Lunugala, Narammala and Irakkamam.

The Elections Secretariat stressed that each nomination paper should be attested by a Justice of Peace or Commissioner of Oaths and it should duly be signed by the Secretary of the respective political party.

The Secretariat said that each nomination should include three additional candidates and it should also include 40 percent youth representation. The nomination lists which do not have mandatory 40 percent youth representation would be rejected by the Department.

The Identity card is necessary to computerize the postal voters’ list. SAB