News

News

Govt. seeks new law to win local councils
The Government is to rush urgent legislation in parliament, ahead of this month's polls, to amend the Local Authorities (Election) Act.

The idea is to make provision for political parties not receiving an absolute majority to come together and run the local bodies. At present the law requires that the single party that receives the highest number of seats to take control of the local authority name its chairman and vice chairman and run the affairs of the council.

The Government wants the laws to be passed ahead of the March 30 local polls and is now studying the legal position. This is to ascertain whether the amendments passed as urgent legislation could be applied to the upcoming local elections. It is also trying to determine whether such amendments would require a two thirds majority in Parliament.

While the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) has expressed its support for the new laws, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) is undecided. It is yet to make its position known to the Government.

The Sunday Times learns that the new move is to forge a Sri Lanka Freedom Party cum JVP or JHU alliance in local bodies where the seats won by them would be higher than what may be won by the United National Party (UNP).
The UNP said last week it hoped to emerge as the largest single party and thereby win control of about 90 percent of the local councils.

Top

Back to News