President stresses need to hold PC polls soon

By Kasun Warakapitiya

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has ordered to rectify complications in the electoral system under proposed Provincial Councils (Amendment) Act or hold the PC election under the old electoral system.

Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga told the Sunday Times that the President made the remarks when he met with the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna’s (SLPP) Association of Provincial Council Members on Friday (12) at the Presidential Secretariat.

Minister Ranatunga elaborated that the members of the association have notified the President that the PCs are functioning under governors and officials, therefore the provincial council elections must be held as soon as possible.

President Rajapaksa had told members of the association that there is no need to delay the election and that the Prime Minister and Parliament should do the needful to rectify the complications which have been placed in the proposed Provincial Councils Act by the previous Government.

Minister Ranatunga said that if the Government is to do away with the PC system, it should be done with a new Constitution or an Amendment. As such, not holding the Provincial Council election must be held as not doing so would be a violation of the Constitution.

General Secretary of the SLPP, Sagara Kariyawasam who also took part in the meeting said that the Association of Provincial Council Members stressed that people are in need of political governance in the provincial council as the councils are currently operating without members.

He said that the association members pointed out though Parliament and local councils are politically guided the PCs which form the middle layer are void of political guidance.

Former member of Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council, Indunil Shantha Gunasekra said that they requested the President to quickly have the PC election according to the old system or rectify complications in the newly proposed Provincial Councils Act.

He said that they told the President that the Provincial Councils Act should be changed and the delimitation should be removed or have the election according to the old system.

(Pix by Suminda Keerthi – Presidential Media Unit)