News
Council formations in crisis 2 months after local govt. polls
Nearly two months after the local council polls, confusion reigns over the formation of councils with less than half of 340 being constituted. Here again contrary to democratic principles, losers have also found seats in councils amidst allegations of bribery, corruption intimidation and violence.
In several of the councils including the Kandy Municipal Council members who were defeated at the elections have been named through the list. UNP Minister Gayantha Karunatillake blamed the shortcomings in the Local Government system for the current chaos. However, SLFP Minister Faizer Musthpha said that Local Governmental electoral amendments were not the cause of the crisis in the councils.
A cross section of the councils also have been hit by a crisis in formation of the council and electing the Mayor or its Chairman.
At least one complaint has been lodged with the Bribery Commission with more than 20 other complaints of cases of intimidation, violence and cases of damage over incidents following disputes over the formation of the councils and election of Mayors or Chairman.
At least in 10 of the councils formed so far the party which secured the highest number of seats has failed to form the council and instead the main opposition party has formed the council with the support of a few members of the party that gained the highest number of seats or another part in the council.
Some of these councils were won by the UNP while some others by the newly formed Sri Lanka Podu Janaparty (SLPP)
The Negombo MC, Galle MC, Dehiwala – Mount Lavinia MC, Tangalle UC, Balangoda UC, Seeduwa UC, Hatton – Dickoya UC, Aranayaka PS, Pothuvil PS, Maskeliya PS are among the councils where the ruling party that gained the highest number of seats failed to form the council.
Both UNP and UPFA members have violated party instructions and voted in favour of candidates for the Mayoral or Chairman positions.
“We have had instances of our UPFA members voting for an opposition party despite our instructions. We have lost control of the situation,” Minister S.B.Dissanayake told the Sunday Times.
“We are likely to experience similar problems in the councils when it gets on with its day-to day functions. We will need to introduce laws to prevent persons obtaining votes from one party and supporting another,” Mr Dissanayake added. Minister Karunatillake said that the new Local Government electoral system was a failure and it has complicated the electoral system.
“This is not suitable for Sri Lanka and therefore political parties have to reach an agreement on changing the system,” he said. Mr. Karunatillake said that the increase of council members from about 4,000 to 8000 will open the gates for more corruption. But Minister Musthpha said that Local Governmental electoral amendments were not the cause of the crisis.
“How can you blame the system if political parties don’t have the backbone to enforce discipline and take action against errant councilors who change sides due to bribes?” he asked. “However, there were problems regarding the lack of a cut-off point. This can be discussed and resolved,” he added.
He said, however, if the government reverted to the preferential vote system due to these deficiencies it would be the biggest betrayal of the mandate given to the President.
Minister Palani Digambaram commenting on the violence experienced in the upcountry during the formation of the councils said that the leaders of political parties should have better control of their supporters. “Earlier the violence was before the elections were held, but now the new pattern is after the elections are held and at the time of the formation of the councils,” he added.
At the Maskeliya Pradeshiya Sabhawa a heated argument broke out when selecting the Chairman of the Council where the CWC and the UNP had returned seven members each. On Monday, a female elected member from the UNP was threatened by CWC members and got herself admitted at the Nawalapitiya hospital to avoid taking part in the elections.
As a result only six UNP members were present at the voting enabling seven CWC members with the support of one SLPP member to form the council.
Violence broke out during the voting inside and outside the council leading to clashes between the two groups. Two vehicles were damaged as the violence continued with fighting spreading to the Norwood area.
At the elections to elect members for the Hatton Dickoya Urban council too a heated exchange of words took place when electing the Chairman. The UNP had won the council with seven members while the CWC had six members followed by two SLPP members and one Communist party member. However, at the voting the UNP and the CWC received eight members each after one SLPP member voted with the UNP forcing to draw lots to elect the Chairman. Again violence broke out after the CWC member was elected by drawing lots.
Campaign for Free and Fair Elections Executive Director Keerthti Tennakoon said with more than 180 councils yet to be formed and the election of Mayors and Chairman to be decided we may witness more ugly scenes including cases of money being exchanged for votes.
