EC informs ‘most suitable’ date to hold LG polls

The Election Commission has deemed April 25 as the ‘most suitable’ date to hold the 2023 Local Government polls.

The election body informed the Returning Officers that the local government election cannot be conducted on March 09 as scheduled due to “unexpected and unavoidable reasons” pertaining to the printing of ballot papers.

In a special gazette notification, dated January 30, 2023, issued by the respective District Returning Officers for the LG bodies of each district, under Sub-section 38(1)(c) of the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance, it was announced that the LG election would be held on March 09.

However, the LG election was later deferred as the government insisted that polls cannot be funded amidst the prevailing economic crisis.

Later, the election commission convened several meetings to decide on the LG polls and a conclusive decision on the election date was scheduled to be taken on March 03. Nevertheless, announcing the new election dates was put off following a meeting held by the members of the Commission that day.

The postponement of the decision came in the background of an order issued by the Supreme Court in this regard, instructing that a date for the 2023 polls be announced before 09 March.

Meanwhile, a group of parliamentarians of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), National People’s Power (NPP), Freedom People’s Alliance, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and other parties representing the opposition convened a meeting at the Election Commission this morning to discuss the matter.