By The Election Commission has been ordered to make the necessary arrangements to hold the Local Government elections at the earliest possible date.
The order was made on a petitions raised by Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara, National People’s Power (NPP) Parliamentarian Harini Amarasuriya, the Centre for Policy Alternatives and the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL).
The Supreme Court five-judge-bench comprising Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, Justice Vijith Malalgoda, Murdu Fernando, Gamini Amarasekara and Yasantha Kodagoda held that the Fundamental Rights of the petitioners and the citizens of the country have been violated by the authorities including Minister of Finance, the Election Commission and the Attorney General by not holding the Local Government elections that were scheduled for March 9 last year.
Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardena, the Attorney General, the Election Commission and several others were the respondents.
Originally scheduled for March 9, 2023, the Local Government elections were first postponed to April 25, 2023. However, the elections were further delayed, with the government citing a lack of funds due to the ongoing economic recovery.
President’s Counsel Upul Jayasuriya appeared for SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara, while Nigel Hatch PC appeared for Harini Amarasuriya. Viran Corea PC appeared for the Centre for Policy Alternatives, Senior Counsel Asthika Devendra appeared for PAFFRAL, Saliya Pieris PC appeared for the Election Commission and Additional Solicitor General Nerin Pulle appeared for the Attorney General.
Ranil In Defence
Supreme Court on Thursday found President Ranil Wickremesinghe guilty of “arbitrary and unlawful” conduct, in the postponement of local body elections.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe today defended the decision to postpone the Local Government elections saying he had no regrets about the decision.
“I have no regrets about postponing the election. The presidential election and the general elections are the people’s rights and I have respected their rights. Similarly I have also respected the people’s right to life, “ he said.
His comments came hours after the Supreme Court ruled that the President, in his capacity as Minister of Finance, along with the members of the Election Commission had violated voters’ fundamental rights by delaying the election which was scheduled for 2023.
Addressing the convention of the Nawa Janatha Peramuna , the President explained the reason for postponing the polls.
“There were queues everywhere. When the gas queue finished, the petrol queue began. When that finished the medicine queue began. There were queues everywhere. What would have happened if I forgot all this and held the LG and Provincial Council elections. That’s all I ask. You decide ,” he said.
He questioned if the economy would have recovered if the LG and the PC polls .
“Which other country recovered from such an economic crisis like we did. Today the whole world is praising us,” he said.
