TULF nominations rejected

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 23 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The elections commission disqualified the TULF from contesting the two local government bodies to which it filed nominations today. The commission rejected the nomination list on legal grounds.

The commission also disqualified the EPRLF from contesting five local government bodies. Jaffna Kachcheri sources said that the EPRLF's lists had been rejected in the Kayts Pradeshiya Sabha, Waligamam north Pradeshiya Sabha, Waligamam south west Pradeshiya Sabha, Pt. Pedro Pradeshiya Sabha and the Chavakachcheri Pradeshiya Sabha. The reason for the disqualification was the failure on the part of the EPRLF to certify the party1s secretary1s signature by a Justice of Peace.

A press release by the Commissioner of Elections later this afternoon said: "A total of seventy two nominations papers were received during this 7 day period at the Jaffna nominations centre. However, the bulk of them consisting of sixty one nomination papers were handed over only this morning within a three hour period. From this, seven nomination papers had been rejected by the Returning Officer for reasons of age disqualification of youth category and failure to certify the political party secretary1s signature by a Justice of Peace. There are 1171 candidates in the contest to elect the234 members. Two independent groups made the deposits. These two groups tendered nominations and remain in the contest in two local authorities."