1342 to contest in Eastern Provincial Council elections

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 April 2008, 17:25 GMT]
1342 candidates representing political parties and independent groups are to contest in the forthcoming Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) in the districts of Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Ampaa’rai. Meanwhile, three nominations in Batticaloa, four in Trincolamalee and seven in Ampaa’rai districts were rejected by the Election Officer while 91 were accepted, sources in Batticaloa said.

35 members are to be elected to the Eastern Provincial Council election in May.

United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), United National Party (UNP), Tamil Democratic National Alliance (TDNA), Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pullikal (TMVP), Ealam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP), Eelavar Democratic Front (EDF), United Socialist Front (USF), Sri Lanka National Development Front (SLNDF), Muslim Liberation Front (MLF), Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Sri Lanka Forward Front (SLFF) and Sri Lanka Bimi Puthra Party (SLBP) are participating in the elections.

3 nominations of the 30 filed in Batticaloa district were rejected while 12 of political parties and 15 of independent groups were accepted.

Ministers Susil Prem Jayantha, Milroy Fernando, Anura Piriydarsana Yapaa and former minister Hisbulla representing UPFA, Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pullikal Vice President Pillayan, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Party Chairman Basheer Sehudawood Fisal Casim representing UNP, Ira.Thurairatnam representing TDNA and A. M. Musamil representing JVP have filed their nominations in Batticaloa district.

The nominations of Ruhunu Janatha Party, United National Alliance and the independent group led by A. L. M. Farook of Kaaththaankudi were rejected in Batticaloa district.

Out of the 35 nominations filed in Trincomalee district, four of the political parties, EPDP. TDA, UNA and MLF were rejected while 12 political party nominations and 19 nominations of independent groups were accepted.

Minister Jeyaraj Fernando Pulle representing UPFA and SLMC leader Rahuf Hakeem representing UNP filed their nominations in Trincomalee district.

Seven nominations out of the 40 submitted in Ampaa’rai district were rejected while the nominations of 11 political parties and 22 independent groups were accepted.

Minister Nimal Sripal de Silva representing UPFA and Hasan Ali, general secretary of SLMC representing UNP, filed their nominations in Ampaa’rai district.

The nominations of Sri Lanka Prakathi Seeli Peramuna, Sri Lanka Jathika Peramuna and All Ceylon Dravida United Front and four nominations of independent groups were rejected in Ampaa’rai district.

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