The government has directed district secretaries to suspend the acceptance of deposits for the local government election in an attempt to defer the polls, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa revealed today, citing a letter purportedly signed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs & Local Government.
According to the said letter, ministerial secretary Neil Bandara Hapuhinna has instructed all district secretaries not to accept election deposits from the contestants until further notice, based on a decision taken by the Cabinet of Ministers.
In a video statement, Premadasa accused certain advisors and officials of the presidential secretariat of being engaged in a ‘national coup’ to postpone the local government election.
The opposition leader, slamming the attempts to defer the election, called on the government not to play with the people’s right to vote.
He vowed to take to the streets if the people’s right to vote is violated by the government.
