UPFA nominations for local elections rejected in North

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 January 2011, 11:42 GMT]
In a sudden turn of development in the run up to the local elections in North, the election department officials in Jaffna and Ki'linochchi have rejected the nominations filed by the UPFA, disqualifying the ruling UPFA and EPDP alliance from participating in the elections in Jaffna and Ki'linochchi that come under the Jaffna electoral district. The nominations were filed under a wrong name in Tamil as Aiykkiya Makka'l Chuthanthira Kooddamaippu (AMCK) instead of Aiykkiya Makka'l Chunthanthira Munna'ni (AMCM). The date for the elections has been set to March 17.



The UPFA loses particaiption in all 13 Pirathesa Chapais and 3 Urban Councils (Point Pedro, Valveddiththu'rai and Chaavakachcheari).

The ruling alliance had filed the nominations for the 13 PCs and 3 UCs in Jaffna and 3 PCs in Kilinochchi. In all the nominations, the UPFA had not used the official Tamil name as registered with the election department. The decision was made following the objection made by TNA parliamentarian Sumaththiran, sources in Jaffna said.

63 nominations were filed, but 20 of them were rejected including those of the NSSP and three independent groups.

Out of 15 nomination lists, 7 lists were rejected in Ki'linochchi secretariat.

37 parties, including the TNA and the UNP, and 6 independent groups are contesting the elections.

Nominations for two PCs filed by the TNA in Ki'linochchi were also rejected, but the alliance has managed to field candidates through an alternative arrangement by Anandasangaree's TULF.

In the meantime, the TNPF on Wednesday said it was boycotting the local elections being held under a terror campaign and militarisation of electoral politics.



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