Election Commission fixes March 9 for local polls

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Election Commission fixes March 9 for local polls

The 2023 local government election will take place on Thursday March 9, the Election Commission announced last evening.

More than 16.6 million people are eligible to vote at the elections, which are being held to elect 8,711 members to 340 local bodies comprising 24 Municipal Councils, 41 Urban Councils and 275 Pradeshiya Sabhas.

The Supreme Court, however, has now issued an interim injunction, suspending the acceptance of nominations for the Kalmunai Municipal Council. The suspension will be in place until the conclusion of the Fundamental Rights petitions.

The deadline to hand over nominations to contest the election ended at 12.00pm yesterday. Objections challenging the nominations submitted by candidates were accepted until 1.30 pm.

The United National Party (UNP) meanwhile, is contesting some local bodies separately but has chosen to contest others as part of an alliance with the SLPP. The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) has a similar arrangement, choosing to contest some local councils under its ‘hand’ symbol but as part of the FPA in others under the ‘helicopter’ symbol.

The election to the Colombo Municipal Council will be one of the most closely watched contests. Former Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman, who stepped down from his parliamentary seat on Friday, will contest as the party’s mayoral candidate. Incumbent Mayor Rosy Senanayake will be the UNP’s mayoral candidate.

Some of the other Mayoral candidates include: from Kandy – Vipula Ranasingha/Waruna Liyanage (SJB), Chandrasiri Wijenayake (NPP), Kesara Senanayaka (UNP-SLPP); from Kurunegala – Thurshara Sanjeewa Vitharana (SLPP), B.D. Sumedha Arunashantha (SJB), Wedisinghe Arachchige Wijayananda (UNP) and from Galle –Dilip Nishantha (UNP), Ravi Kalansooriya (SJB), Nalin Hewage (NPP) and Methsiri De Silva (SLFP). The SLPP has chosen not to contest for the Galle Municipal Council under its ‘Flower Bud’ symbol, but will field incumbent Mayor Priyantha Sahabandu from an independent group.