- To retain AG for representation
- EC outlined multiple reasons for rejection
The Election Commission (EC) is set to file an appeal before the Supreme Court (SC) against the recent order issued by the Court of Appeal (CA), which directed the election officials to accept nearly 37 nomination papers for the Local Government (LG) Elections that were previously rejected.
Last week, the CA ordered the relevant Returning Officers to re-accept these rejected nomination papers submitted by candidates to contest for the LG Elections.
When contacted by The Daily Morning, the EC Chairperson R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said that the EC would file an appeal before the SC against the CA's decision. “We discussed the matter with the Attorney General (AG), President's Counsel Parinda Ranasinghe Junior. We have the option of filing an appeal before the SC, and we will do so through the AG,” he said.
The relevant order was issued by the two-Judge CA bench comprising the Acting President of the CA, Justice Thahir Mohammed Laffar and Justice K.P. Fernando after considering the writ petitions filed by several political parties and independent groups challenging the rejection of their nomination papers submitted in relation to multiple LG bodies including the Colombo Municipal Council.
The nominations process for the 2025 LG Elections was conducted across 25 districts from 17-20 March. Out of the nominations submitted by recognised political parties and independent groups, a total of 425 had been rejected, after which some of the affected parties and independent groups resorted to legal action over the matter.
Prior to accepting nominations, the EC had outlined several reasons for rejection, including submission by an unauthorised person, failing to meet the required number of candidates or exceeding the limit, not making the required deposit for a recognised political party or independent group, the absence of the party secretary’s or independent group’s leader’s signature, the failure to have their signature certified by a Justice of the Peace or Notary Public, and not meeting the mandatory quota for youth and female candidates.