Local Government Election: Accept deposits for LG Election – Election Commissioner tells District Secretaries

Commissioner-General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake has informed District Secretaries yesterday (January 10) to continue to accept deposits for the upcoming Local government Election.

District Secretaries who have been appointed as Returning Officers have been informed by the Commissioner-General of Elections to continue to accept deposits since a gazette was issued on the 4th of January, declaring the conduct of the Local Government Election.

The letter issued to all district secretaries by the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration Neil Bandara Hapuhinna yesterday (January 10) instructing them to suspend accepting deposits from candidates for the upcoming local government (LG) election has been recalled.

According to the letter, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration Neil Bandara Hapuhinna has instructed all District Secretaries to discontinue accepting deposits for the Local Authorities Election until further notice.

The directive has reportedly been issued based on a decision taken by the Cabinet of Ministers.

Earlier Tuesday (January 10), in a video statement, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa shed light on a letter, signed by the ministerial secretary Neil Bandara Hapuhinna, instructing all district secretaries to stop accepting deposits for the LG election until further notice, pursuant to a decision taken by the Cabinet of Ministers.

He accused certain advisors and officials of the presidential secretariat of being engaged in a ‘national coup’ to postpone the local government election.

National People’s Power (NPP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said yesterday (January 10), It was a direct violation of the Constitution by the President to take a Cabinet decision to halt accepting deposits for the Local Government elections.

He said making a special statement that the Cabinet has exceeded its powers making directions to halt accepting deposits.

Commissioner-General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake has reiterated that it is the responsibility of Returning Officers, who have been appointed to accept deposits from political parties and Independent Groups which is a prerequisite to file nominations.