JVP to challenge in court Bill to empower Minister to extend tenure of local councils

By Saman Indrajith

The JVP yesterday announced that it would challenge in court a private member motion by MP Jayantha Ketagoda, seeking to empower the line minister to extend the tenure of local government bodies without election, JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva said on Friday.

Silva said that if passed, Ketagoda’s motion would have a disastrous impact on Sri Lankan democracy.

The private member motion by MP Ketagoda has sought to amend certain sections of the Urban Councils Ordinance, Municipal Councils Ordinance, and Local Authorities Act, allowing the Minister to ask the councillors, of now defunct local government bodies, to continue.

“This is a shameful attempt of the government. According to existing laws, the line minister is empowered to extend the term of a local authority for a period of one year on special circumstances. The government has already used up this clause,” he said.

Silva said that Ketagoda’s motion was against the Constitution and a previous court ruling that stated people’s mandate can be shortened if required but cannot be extended.

“President Ranil Wickremesinghe and his stooges in the SLPP are trying their best not to hold local government elections as they believe its outcome would affect the Presidential and parliamentary elections. The logic is that the Sri Lankan voter is hesitant to vote for new political parties before trying them on in local and provincial elections,” he said.