The election of the new Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Seethawaka Pradeshiya Sabha has been postponed indefinitely over disagreement pertaining to the voting method.
The vote to appoint a new Chairman for the Seethawaka Pradeshiya Sabha was scheduled to take place today (17) before the Commissioner of the Department of Local Government of the Western Province, Sarangika Jayasundara.
Following the commencement of the new session, a dispute arose on whether the vote to appoint the Chairman should be conducted as an open or secret ballot. One faction proposed an open vote, while another proposed a secret vote.
As two different proposals had been presented, and since the authority to decide the methodology of voting lies with the Commissioner, she decided that the vote would be conducted as a secret ballot.
In protest against this decision, 24 members walked out of the council chamber, resulting in the lack of quorum. Subsequently, the Commissioner adjourned the session for 30 minutes.
However, due to the ensuing circumstances, the Commissioner decided to postpone the meeting indefinitely.
As a result, the appointments of the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Seethawaka Pradeshiya Sabha did not take place today and the session has been postponed without a specified date.
