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Local Government elections:
Curtain comes down on campaign
Main parties hold final rallies:
Chaminda PERERA
The curtain fell on the propaganda campaign for the final phase of
the Local Government elections which are to be held on Saturday to elect
candidates for 23 Local Government bodies, including Colombo, Kandy and
Kotte Municipal Councils.
Over 6,000 candidates from recognized political parties and
independent groups will vie for 23 Local Government bodies including 16
Municipal Councils and five Pradeshiya Sabhas.
Highest number of candidates are in the fray for Colombo Municipal
Council.
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Galle, Matara poll as scheduled
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Chaminda PERERA and Mahinda P Liyanage,
Galle Group Correspondent
According to Senior Assistant
Commissioner of Elections for Galle A.B.I de Silva, the
Elections Commissioner has decided to hold Local Government
elections for Galle and Matara Municipal Councils, as scheduled
after the assurance given by the political party
representatives.
Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshpriya yesterday held separate
meetings with the political party representatives and the Police
over holding of elections following a report that an
unauthorized campaign was being conducted by some candidates
contesting for the Matara and Galle Municipal councils.
According to the Elections Department sources, the political
party representatives have promised to the Elections Commission
that they would not involve in any activity that violates the
Local Government Election Law.
Earlier in the day, Senior Assistant Commissioner D S Silva told
the Daily News that the elections to the Galle Municipal Council
will have to be reviewed if an unauthorized campaign is
conducted. |
Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya yesterday informed the
Police to ensure that all cut-outs, banners and posters of the
candidates be removed.
According to Deputy Elections Commissioner M M Mohammed, all
arrangements have been made to hold a free and fair election and
additional staff from the Elections Department will be deployed to areas
where election violations were reported.
He said that over 10,000 government servants have been detailed for
election duty and 10 officers will be deployed to each polling station.
Mohammed added that banners and cut-outs put up at the residences of
candidates are required to be removed and canvassing for the candidates
during this period is illegal.
However, the election offices of the candidates can be kept open
until midnight today.
Meanwhile, all government schools which would be used as polling
stations and counting stations for the upcoming Local Government
elections would be closed tomorrow.
Main political parties vying in Local Government elections held their
final rallies yesterday evening with the participation of leaders of the
respective parties.
UPFA mayoral candidate for Colombo Municipal Council Milinda Moragoda
was to address his final rally at Central Colombo while the JVP was to
hold its final seminar at Maligawatte yesterday.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday made a surprise visit to
several areas in the Colombo city and discussed the problems faced by
them.
He visited the Applewatte and Somaliwatte in Colombo and the people
in these areas expressed happiness over the government’s decision to
replace their present house with fully equipped houses. President
Rajapaksa was about to participate in several events to support the
candidature of Moragoda yesterday evening too and the United National
Party had also organized a series of meetings in Colombo under the
patronage of UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to support UNP mayoral
candidate A.J.M. Muzzamil.
Meanwhile Police Department yesterday stressed that stern action
would be taken against persons who violate election laws irrespective of
their status in society. |
