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Voting
rules for top post at Dalada Maligawa to change The Sunday Times learns that already discussions have been held to introduce amendments to the Vihara -Devala ordinance which specify the persons who would be eligible to vote. Currently some 370 persons are eligible to vote. Discussions are under way to restrict the voting to the chief prelates of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters and the Sangha Sabhas of the two Chapters, which makes a total of 40, in addition to the Basnayake Nilames of the Kandy district. The changes have been discussed by the Malwatte Chapter. Currently the chief prelates of the Asgiriya and Malwatte Chapters, the Basnayake Nilames of the four main devales and 35 other Basnayaka Nilames of other devales within the district are among the 370 persons eligible to vote. All assistant Government Agents belonging to the areas known as the traditional Kandyan Kingdom - Kandy, Matale, Nuwaraeliya, Puttalam Sinhala Pattuwa, Siyambalanduwa, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Badulla, Moneragala, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Ampara, Trincomalee Pattuwa, Galle, Hiniduma, Matara, Morawak Korale and Vavuniya Sinhala Pattuwa are eligible to vote, but non-Buddhist AGAs and females cannot vote. Chief monks of the Raja Maha Vihara situated in Kandy district are also eligible to vote. Meanwhile the campaigning for the top position has already started with three of the five candidates leading the campaign. The incumbent Diyawadana Nilame, Neranjan Wijeyeratne who would be running for the third 10-year term, hotelier and Basnayake Nilame of the Vishnu Devale, Mohan Panabokke and the Basnayake Nilame of the Ratnapura Saman Devale and the Kataragama Devale, Nilanga Dela Bandara are the top contenders while the Basnayake Nilame of the Embekke Devale, Sudantha Senanayake and Kandy People's Bank Manager P.B. Jayasundara are the other contestants who have expressed their intention to contest the election which will be held early next year. |
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