Petition filed at Supreme Court against EC calling for Provincial polls

A petition has been filed by the Truth Seekers Movement against the Elections Commission (EC) calling for a Supreme Court order to be issued on the latter to conduct the elections of six provincial bodies whose terms have been expired.

Chairman of the Elections Commission Mahinda Deshapriya and other members of the EC have been named as repondents in the case.

However, Elections Commission Member Professor Ratnajeevan Hoole said that he was unaware of this petition that has been filed against the Commission.

"There is no point of filing the petition against the Elections Commission if the necessary legislation is not available to conduct the polls" Professor Hoole told Times Online. 

He added that it would be appreciated if the petition could be filed against the lawmakers who are responsible of preparing the necessary laws to conduct the polls.

The petition has been filed following a letter written by Attorney-at-law Premnath C. Dolawatte on behalf of his clients to the Chairman and members of the EC dated February 01.

The letter called on the Elections Commission to take necessary action to conduct the provincial council polls within a period of 10 days of receiving the letter.

Attorney Dolawatte had said that he would file a petition calling for a mandamus writ petition to be issued to the EC if they did not initate such action in this regard. In his letter, Mr. Dolawatte claimed that the EC was vested with the power to conduct the polls as per Article 104 (b) of the constitution.

The letter referred to Attorneys Dinesh Sandaruwan, Nalin Samarakoon and Sathyamohan Ganeshlingam as his clients.