Local election by Mar. 10: Punchihewa

Elections Commission Chairman Nimal Punchihewa said on Thursday that the Local Government polls would be held before March 10, 2023.He said that the commission would issue a Gazette notification calling nominations to elect 8,327 members for 24 Municipal Councils, 41 Urban Councils and 276 Pradeshiya Sabhas before next Thursday (Jan 5) and the elections would be held before March 10. The term of office of around 340 local government bodies is scheduled to end on 20 March 2023.

Commenting on reports that the Elections Commission was attempting to delay the polls by putting off the publication of the Gazette to the month of January, Punchihewa said there was no delay as claimed. “There is no delay. The Gazette will be issued in the first week of January,” he said.

He said that it was earlier announced that the gazette would be issued in December and the change of date came after calculations done on the stipulated days needed to call for nominations, handing over of nominations, campaigning and other activities that the first week of January was most suitable for the purpose.

He said that the nominations would be accepted by relevant district returning officers from registered political parties and independent groups on the 14th day of notice of nomination until noon of the following day.

The Chairman said that the 2022 electoral register had just been completed and it would be used for the upcoming Local Government polls. “The total number of registered voters eligible to vote is 16,692,398,” he said adding that around 200,000 officials would be deployed for election duties.