Local government elections to be held in a single day

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 September 2010, 14:39 GMT]
Elections to all local government bodies of Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and Pradesya Sabas in Sri Lanka including North and East provinces will be held in a single day in January 2011 under the amended Local Government Elections Act that is to be tabled in the parliament next month for approval, Sri Lanka Local Government Ministry sources said. Meanwhile, the main opposition United National Party (UNP) is reported to have decided to support the said bill in parliament, sources in Colombo said.

President Mahinda Rajapakse will take oath for the second term of office in November and after the budget debate, all local government bodies will be dissolved in December.

Sri Lanka government was unable to conduct local government elections in a single day in the past due to war.

However, this time the government has taken steps to hold elections of local government bodies in all provinces including North and East on the same day, local government ministry sources added.