Forty seven rejected nominations to be accepted

Shiromi ABEYASINGHE

*UPFA: 34

*UNP: four

*Others: Nine

The Court of Appeal yesterday directed the Elections Commissioner and the Returning Officers to accept 47 nomination papers presented by three recognized political parties and independent groups. The court upheld that the rejection of these nomination papers by the election officials is a violation of local government election regulations.

Elections officials were ordered to accept 34 nominations of the UPFA, four from the UNP and nine nominations of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and independent parties.

The Court of Appeal in a writ order suspended the decision taken by the Elections Commissioner and the Returning Officers with regard to 47 nomination papers.

The judgement was delivered by Court of Appeal President Sathya Hettige PC and Justice Upali Abeyratne.

The Elections Department was ordered to accept UPFA nominations papers for all local government bodies in the Jaffna and Kilinochchi districts, Chilaw Urban Council and 15 Pradeshiya Sabhas. UNP nomination papers for Embilipitiya, Elahera, Warakapola, and Baddegama would be accepted by the Elections Department officials in conformity with this judgement.

SLMC nomination papars for the Akurana, Mawathagama and Minuwangoda Pradeshiya Sabhas and the nomination papers presented by the Janasetha Peramuna for the Kaduwela Urban Council would also be accepted by the Elections Department officials in accordance with the Court of Appeal order.

The petition filed by the UNP against the rejection of its nomination paper for the Homagama Pradeshiya Sabha was dismissed by the Court of Appeal.

The petitions filed by the aggrieved political parties and independent groups against the rejection of nomination papers for the Weligepola, Attanagalle, Hingurakgoda, Kegalle, Karaitivu, Thirikkovil, Kuchchiveli, Mahawathgama, Katugastota, Agalawatte, Elpitiya, Giribawa and Ruwanwella local government institutions were dismissed by Court. President’s Counsel D S Wijesinghe Faizer Mustapha, Nihal Jayamanne, Manohara de Silva, Palitha Kumarasinghe, Kuyshan de Alwis, M U M Ali Sabry appeared for the UPFA.

Senior Attorneys Faizer Mustapha, Priyaja Jayawardena, Isuru Jayawardena, and lawyers Athula de Silva and Shamika Seneviratne instructed by Mary Dickman appeared for the UPFA.

Srinath Perera PC and lawyers K. Eswaran, Ronald Perera and Daya Pelpola appeared for the United National Party. Attornery-at-Law Nisam Kariyappar appeared for the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress while Attorneys at Law Himali Kularatne and Krishmal Warnakulasuriya appeared on behalf of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna.

Deputy Solicitors General Shavindra Fernando, Sanjaya Rajaratnam and Senior State counsel Nerin Pulle appeared on behalf of the Elections Department.