Election date to be announced after nomination deadline

Accepting nominations for the upcoming local government polls began at 8.30 a.m. today (18) and will continue till noon on Saturday (21), the Election Commission announced.

The Election Commission informed the Supreme Court today that the election date will be announced after acceptance of nominations is concluded on Saturday.

Commissioner-General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake said accepting of election deposits will conclude at noon on Friday (20).

Twenty nine political parties and 52 independent groups have placed election deposits by Tuesday evening.

The New Lanka Freedom Party has placed deposits for councils in Colombo, Galle, Kalutara, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Galle, Kegalle, Puttalam and Ampara districts.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya has placed deposits for Colombo, Kalutara, Matale, Galle and Jaffna district councils.

The United National Party has made deposits for Gampaha, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Hambantota, Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Batticaloa, Kurunegala, Anuradhapura, Badulla, Ratnapura and Monaragala districts. Only UNP has placed deposits for all councils in Hambantota.

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party has placed deposits for Nuwara Eliya, Galle, Vavuniya, Batticaloa, Anuradhapura, Badulla and Kegalle districts.

No deposits have been made for Matara and Kilinochchi districts by Tuesday evening. Meanwhile, no leading political parties have placed deposits for Polonnaruwa district as well, the Election Commission said.  

In Colombo district, the New Lanka Freedom Party has placed deposits for two councils while the Samagi Jana Balawegaya has placed deposits for all 13 councils, the Socialist People’s Forum for one council, Sri Lanka Freedom Party for seven councils and the United Peace Alliance for one council. Three independent groups have placed deposits for Colombo district.

Gampaha district has the highest number of parties (06) submitting deposits. The New Lanka Freedom Party, Samagi Jana Balawegaya, Janasetha Peramuna, Freedom People’s Front, United National Party and Sinhaladeepa Jathika Front have placed deposits in Gampaha districts and four independent groups as well.

Meanwhile, heads of a number of state bodies including the Ceylon Electricity Board, Public Utilities Commission, Sri Lanka Transport Board, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, Sri Lanka Telecom and the Water Board have been called to the Election Commission Secretariat today for discussions regarding facilities to be provided during the election period.