Colombo to decide on North East LG elections

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 14 January 2004, 04:26 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s Elections Commissioner will have to decide on whether to hold the Local Government (LG) elections in the North East, which were postponed last year by the United National Front Government until January 24, said Mr. Alik Aluvihare, the UNF Minister for Local Government Councils.

The UNF government is currently considering the situation in the NorthEast and in the process of deciding whether to hold the LG elections. A meeting to that effect was held at the Department of Elections in Colombo Monday. The Government Agents of all districts in the North East participated at the meeting and informed the Commissioner of Elections that the conditions in their districts had not changed to hold the LG elections, sources said.

The Elections Department said that the Commissioner would make a decision in a few days based on the observations of the GAs.

Mr. Aluvihare said that if the certifying election officers in every district notify the Commissioner that the elections could be held, the elections would be held on time. But if the Commissioner informs him that the conditions are not conducive to holding the elections, he would decide on what action to take, the Minister said.